Summary
Delaware police are at 58 sworn officers against an authorized strength of 63, with five openings. City Council added three positions in this year's budget, so the department is close to its pre-2026 strength and continues hiring from the certified list.
At a glance
- Total mentions
- 6
- Last 30 days
- 1
Discussed at 1 meeting in the last 60 days; most recently Oct 7, 2026.
Impact analysis
City Council funded three extra officer positions in this year's budget.
Residents get faster police response as the department moves toward full staffing.
Candidates ready to hire may face delays, slowing the department's path to full staffing.
Mentions & discussions (6)
Civil Service Commission - Oct 7, 2026
Delaware PD is building its candidate list with four new names and filling police academy spots in December. Three candidates already have conditional job offers, which affects how quickly new officers hit the street.
Civil Service Commission - Sep 2, 2026
The police department is down to six open officer positions, with two candidates holding conditional offers and starting the academy December 9. Full training takes 11-12 months before an officer patrols alone — so today's decisions affect streets well into next year.
Civil Service Commission - Aug 10, 2026
The city keeps churning through police candidates as people withdraw, get disqualified, or get hired elsewhere. Three recruits graduate from the academy in November, three more could start in December, and the department has both existing vacancies and three new budgeted positions to fill.
Civil Service Commission - Jul 1, 2026
Delaware police have six openings but can't train new hires quickly — the free state patrol academy is full with a 14-person waitlist, and the next paid option isn't until December at $5,000-$6,000 per trainee. Chief Moore is working with Columbus State Community College on expanding academy capacity.
Civil Service Commission - Jun 3, 2026
The certified list is how the police department keeps a pool of eligible hires. Three recent hires are in the academy, and this list of 22 names will feed academy classes late summer and fall as the department closes in on full staffing.
Civil Service Commission - May 13, 2026
Delaware police are at 58 sworn officers against an authorized strength of 63, with five openings. City Council added three positions in this year's budget, so the department is close to its pre-2026 strength and continues hiring from the certified list.
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