State police are making roadside memorial signs more noticeable

It’s been a little more than 35 years since Delaware State Police Trooper Kevin Mallon died in the line of duty March 20, 1990. I know this because a new sign on Route 16, just west of Milton’s town limits, caught my attention not too long ago. I hadn’t seen it before, but the navy blue and gold colors, and state police logo, are unmistakable. I pulled over to see what the sign was about. Upon closer inspection, I saw it was a memorial sign for Mallon with his “E.O.W.” (end of watch) date on it.

When I got home, I did two things – search for information on Mallon’s death and reach out to the state police. I was curious if the sign was new and if there were more memorial signs of this nature.

First, about Mallon. According to a write-up of his death on the state police website, he lost control of his patrol car and struck a tree while answering a burglary alarm. Mallon was 24 years old and had served with the state police for only eight months. The Route 16 sign marks where the accident happened.

Second, Mallon is not the only state police officer who died in the line of duty and is memorialized with a roadside sign in the location where the incident happened.

Master Cpl. Lewis Briggs, Delaware State Police spokesman, said Mallon’s sign is part of the Delaware State Police Line of Duty Death Memorial Sign Program that began in 2012. Trooper Mallon’s sign was originally installed in June 2013 and updated with a new graphic in late 2024, he said, adding that the program is funded through the DSP Memorial Fund and various recruit classes.

Mallon’s is one of 13 signs that have been installed throughout the state since the program began, said Briggs, providing the names of the others who have been memorialized – Cpl. Harold Rupert, Officer Francis Ryan, Trooper First Class Paul Sherman, Trooper First Class Raymond Wilhelm, Trooper William Keller, Cpl. Frances Collender, Trooper First Class William Mayer, Trooper George Emory, Cpl. Christopher Shea, Trooper Sandra Wagner, Trooper Leroy LeKites and Trooper Gerard Dowd.

“Ultimately, a memorial sign will be installed for all Delaware troopers killed in the line of duty throughout the state,” said Briggs.

Smokin D’z sign

I see that Smokin D’z BBQ is reopening at Hopkins Farm Creamery, off Route 9. I’m not going to lie; when I wrote the story this past fall about owners Katherine and Damian Birl having to move from their Cave Neck Road location after 14 years, I was skeptical. Are they really going to be able to find another highly visible location with easy road access and lots of parking? Amazingly enough, it seems like they’ve done it again.

In fact, I can imagine there were already customers of both businesses who made an afternoon or evening meal out of supporting both. What says a summer meal more than barbecue and ice cream? I can hear the conversation now.

“Hey, honey. Let's go get some ‘cue on Cave Neck and then top it off with some ice cream at the dairy farm. All that meat will settle as we make our way down Hudson.”

Now, those customers only have to walk to enjoy themselves.

The old Smokin D’z location looks nothing like it did before, and there’s nothing indicating that a barbecue stand existed there for over a decade. However, there’s at least one thing remaining from the original location that I’m aware of – a Smokin D’z sign on the north side of Route 1, just before vehicles are about to cross the Nassau Bridge. It reads, “SMOKIN D’Z BBQ. 2 MI. ON LEFT.” The funny part is, that sign is still about two miles from the new Smokin D’z location. It was meant to be.

Joke of the Week

The spring peepers are out. No, I’m not talking about people enjoying the recent string of nice weather by looking into homes. I’m talking about the small frogs that have been singing to each other in the early morning hours. Here’s a frog joke. As always, send jokes to cflood@capegazette.com.

Q: Have you heard the joke about frogs?

A: It’s ribbiting.