The Delaware State Police marked their centennial anniversary Friday with a celebration at Leg Hall.
Gov. John Carney noted the highway safety concerns that prompted the creation of the Delaware State Police pale in comparison to present-day hazards — at the time, the speed limit on most state roads was 35 miles an hour.
The agency began with only four patrolmen assigned to police Delaware’s state-managed road system in 1924. It has since grown to more than 700 sworn personnel, and become the primary law enforcement agency for thousands of residents in unincorporated Kent and Sussex Counties.
The gathering also served as a memorial for the 23 troopers who have died while on duty since the agency’s formation – most often as a result of roadway accidents.
