Dewey businesses pay for additional Memorial Day Weekend police

For the third consecutive year, Dewey Beach businessmen Steve “Monty” Montgomery of The Starboard, and Jim Baeurle of Dewey Beach Enterprises and Ruddertowne, are providing the Town of Dewey Beach with funds to pay to have 10 additional uniformed officers each night, in their police vehicles, assist the Dewey Beach Police Department over Memorial Day Weekend.

We appreciate having them step up,” said Dewey Beach Police Chief Mackert. “For the past two years our Memorial Day weekend operation has been well received by our business community and residents. With the increased public safety presence, complaints were low and there were no serious incidents. We want to continue that trend.”

Police reports establish that the trend is impressive, beginning with a declaration that the 2010 weekend was the most orderly in more than a decade. With an estimated 35,000 people visiting Dewey Beach, Mackert reported that there was not one felony assault, one robbery or one reported sexual assault over the entire Memorial Weekend.

Figures released on June 1, 2011, by Delaware Criminal Information Justice System Executive Director Peggy Bell showed more improvement in 2011 when Memorial Day Weekend arrests plummeted from 67 in 2010 to 53, and reported incidents plunged from 42 to 29. Mackert said the increased police presence was the primary cause of the continuing drop.

This has worked great in the past, and we are preparing for another successful weekend,” Mackert said. “Everyone in Dewey Beach wants everybody to have a safe weekend.”