The Delaware River and Bay Authority or DRBA is a bi-state government agency of the
U.S. states of
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delawa ...
and
Delaware
Delaware ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Maryland to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. The state takes its name from the adjacent ...
established by an
interstate compact in 1962.
The authority operates the
Delaware Memorial twin suspension bridges, the
Cape May-Lewes Ferry between
Cape May,
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delawa ...
, and
Lewes
Lewes () is the county town of East Sussex, England. It is the police and judicial centre for all of Sussex and is home to Sussex Police, East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service, Lewes Crown Court and HMP Lewes. The civil parish is the centre of t ...
,
Delaware
Delaware ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Maryland to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. The state takes its name from the adjacent ...
, the
Forts Ferry Crossing
The Forts Ferry Crossing (formerly Delaware City–Salem Ferry and Three Forts Ferry Crossing) is a ferry system on the Delaware River that serves Forts DuPont and Delaware in Delaware and Fort Mott in Pennsville Township, New Jersey. It is oper ...
, and the Salem County Business Center.
The authority operates several aviation facilities in both New Jersey and Delaware, including
Wilmington Airport (ILG),
Cape May Airport,
Millville Airport,
Delaware Airpark
Delaware Airpark is a public use airport serving the Dover area. It is owned by the Delaware Department of Transportation and operated by the Delaware River and Bay Authority and located one nautical mile (2 km) west of the central bus ...
and the
Civil Air Terminal at Dover AFB. The Wilmington Airport (ILG) is the largest air facility operated by the DRBA and is an FAA back-up facility to Philadelphia International Airport (PHL).
Police department
The Delaware River and Bay Authority Police Department is a law enforcement agency of the DRBA with limited jurisdiction in both
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delawa ...
and
Delaware
Delaware ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Maryland to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. The state takes its name from the adjacent ...
. The department is mainly responsible for the
Delaware Memorial Bridge and surrounding highway, but also provides police services at the
Wilmington Airport (and the Corporate Complex located adjacent to the Wilmington Airport), the Civil Air Terminal at
Dover Air Force Base,
Delaware Airpark
Delaware Airpark is a public use airport serving the Dover area. It is owned by the Delaware Department of Transportation and operated by the Delaware River and Bay Authority and located one nautical mile (2 km) west of the central bus ...
in
Dover
Dover () is a town and major ferry port in Kent, South East England. It faces France across the Strait of Dover, the narrowest part of the English Channel at from Cap Gris Nez in France. It lies south-east of Canterbury and east of Maids ...
, the
Forts Ferry Crossing
The Forts Ferry Crossing (formerly Delaware City–Salem Ferry and Three Forts Ferry Crossing) is a ferry system on the Delaware River that serves Forts DuPont and Delaware in Delaware and Fort Mott in Pennsville Township, New Jersey. It is oper ...
in
Delaware City
Delaware City is a city in New Castle County, Delaware, United States. The population was 1,695 at the 2010 census. It is a small port town on the eastern terminus of the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal and is the location of the Forts Ferry Cross ...
, the
Cape May−Lewes Ferry,
Millville Municipal Airport
Millville Executive Airport is in Millville, in Cumberland County, New Jersey. The airport, southwest of the Millville city center, is owned by the Delaware River and Bay Authority (DRBA) and the City of Millville.
It was dubbed "America's ...
and
Cape May Airport.
History
The Department was formed in 1951 as the Delaware Memorial Bridge Police Department. After a
compact
Compact as used in politics may refer broadly to a pact or treaty; in more specific cases it may refer to:
* Interstate compact
* Blood compact, an ancient ritual of the Philippines
* Compact government, a type of colonial rule utilized in Britis ...
between the states of Delaware and New Jersey was signed in 1962, the Delaware River and Bay Authority (DRBA) was created. The compact authorized the DRBA to operate the Delaware Memorial Bridge and to form its own police force. DRBA bridge officers were given powers of investigation,
detention and
arrest
An arrest is the act of apprehending and taking a person into custody (legal protection or control), usually because the person has been suspected of or observed committing a crime. After being taken into custody, the person can be questi ...
on the crossings, transportation or terminal facilities and other projects and the approaches thereto, owned, operated, or controlled by the DRBA. As a result of the compact the Delaware Memorial Bridge Police Department was renamed the Delaware River and Bay Authority Police.
In 1964 a ferry service between
Cape May, New Jersey
Cape May is a city located at the southern tip of Cape May Peninsula in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States, where the Delaware Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean. It is one of the country's oldest vacation resort destinations, and part of ...
, and
Lewes, Delaware, was begun by the DRBA. In April 1984 a police station was opened in Cape May establishing a security presence. Another police station was opened in Lewes in January 1986.
The Authority took over airport management and operations at Wilmington Airport following a 30-year lease agreement with
New Castle County Council in May 1995 and the
FAA's approval in June 1995. In November 1996, the department received the
Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies
The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA) is a credentialing authority (accreditation), based in the United States, whose primary mission is to accredit public safety agencies, namely law enforcement agencies, trai ...
' national accreditation award. In November 2005, the Department was re-accredited by CALEA.
Fallen officers
Since the establishment of the Delaware River and Bay Authority Police Department, two officers have died while on duty.
The Officer Down Memorial Page
/ref>
References
External links
Delaware River and Bay Authority
(official website)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Delaware River And Bay Authority
United States interstate agencies
Delaware River and Bay Authority facilities
Ports and harbors of New Jersey
Delaware River
Port authorities in the United States
Bridges in Delaware
Bridges in New Jersey
Delaware law
New Jersey law
Government agencies established in 1962
1962 establishments in Delaware
1962 establishments in New Jersey
Delaware Bay
Airport police departments of the United States
Toll road authorities of the United States