Lewes Police Blotter Reports

Lewes is a coastal Sussex County city known as "The First Town in The First State." The Lewes Police Department publishes monthly MCC reports that work as the city's public police blotter. Chief Thomas R. Spell leads a 13-officer department at 114 East Third Street. Call (302) 645-6264 for the main line. The archive of Lewes police blotter reports goes back multiple years. FOIA requests for full incident reports go through the City Manager's Office. This page shows every Lewes police blotter source and lays out the records path for each request type.

Lewes Police Department Monthly Reports

The Lewes Police Department publishes monthly MCC reports for the Mayor and City Council. That archive works as the city's public-facing Lewes police blotter. Recent posts cover February 2026, January 2026, December 2025, November 2025, and back several years. Each report lists calls for service, arrests, traffic enforcement, training, community outreach, and department expenses.

Read the archive at ci.lewes.de.us/251/Police-Department-Reports. The address for the department is 114 East Third Street, P.O. Box 227, Lewes, DE 19958. Main line is 302-645-7777. Administrative contact is 302-645-6264. Fax is 302-645-1080.

Lewes Police Department Contact Info

Contact info for the Lewes Police Department covers the main tasks residents need. The physical address is 114 East Third Street, Lewes, DE 19958. Call (302) 645-6264 for general questions. Emergencies go to 911. Records Requests route through the police department or the City Manager's Office for formal FOIA filings.

The contact page at ci.lewes.de.us/253/Contact-Us lists every relevant number and address. Chief Thomas R. Spell leads the department. Non-emergency contact goes through city offices. That page is a good starting point for any Lewes police blotter request.

Lewes FOIA Form and Process

The City of Lewes provides a standardized FOIA request form for any records ask, including police items. Fill out your name, address, phone, email, and a detailed description of the records you want. Be as specific as possible. Note dates, parties to correspondence, and subject matter.

Submit the form to City of Lewes/City Manager's Office, City Hall, 114 E. Third Street, P.O. Box 227, Lewes, DE 19958. The form is available as a PDF at the city's FOIA form page. Voluminous records requests may be delayed. Original records must be examined at City Hall in person.

Costs may apply. On the form, you can specify the maximum you are willing to pay. Timeline follows the standard 15 business day rule under 29 Del. C. § 10003(h). Within that window, the city can provide the records, deny with a legal reason, or ask for more time on complex filings.

Lewes Public Records Directory

The Lewes Public Records Directory pulls together every records office that affects the city. The Lewes City Council has 5 elected members serving 3-year terms. Elections are in May. Council meetings are on the second and fourth Monday of each month at 6:30 PM at City Hall.

The Lewes public records directory covers arrest records through LPD, court records at the Sussex County Courthouse, property records through Sussex County, and vital records through the state Division of Public Health. The 2019 crime rate for Lewes was 1,845.7 per 100,000 people, lower than the national rate of 3,912.9. Top categories were larceny, burglary, and motor vehicle theft.

Lewes Warrants and Court Records

Active warrants tied to Lewes police blotter cases live in the DELJIS public wanted persons file. Run a search at pubsrv.deljis.delaware.gov. Last name is required. First name is optional but helps narrow the list. The file holds more than 70,000 open warrants from across Delaware.

Criminal court cases move through the Sussex County Courthouse at 1 The Circle, Georgetown. Call (302) 855-7055. Superior Court hears felonies. Court of Common Pleas takes misdemeanors. Justice of the Peace Court handles minor criminal and traffic cases. Pull case dockets at courts.delaware.gov/CourtConnect.

In October 2024, the AG ruled in 24-IB43 that the county did not violate FOIA when it denied a request for Lewes Fire Department audio recordings. Those records were tied to a Fire Prevention Commission investigation and were exempt as investigatory files.

Types of Lewes Police Blotter Records

A Lewes police blotter request can pull several kinds of records. Monthly MCC reports roll up counts and trends. Individual incident reports require a FOIA for full detail. Summer months see the most activity, since the beach area near Lewes draws crowds from May through September.

Common Lewes police blotter items you can request include:

• Monthly MCC reports with calls for service and arrest counts
• Individual incident reports from FOIA filings
• Traffic crash reports
• Press items for major arrests
• Training completion records
• Community outreach event details

For the full Sussex County arrest records picture, see the Sussex County page. The page covers the sheriff, Court of Common Pleas requests, and the full menu of Sussex County police blotter paths.

Lewes Sex Offender and Safety Resources

For sex offender info in Lewes, use the Delaware Sex Offender Central Registry. The state runs the registry under Title 11, sections 4120 and 4121. Only Tier II and Tier III offenders show on the public site. Tier I offenders do not appear. Search by name or by map view. Email alerts are free to set up for any Lewes address.

Delaware State Police Troop 4 backs up Lewes on major cases. Troop 4 sits at 23652 Shortly Road, Georgetown. Call (302) 856-5850. Press releases on Lewes cases handled by state police show up on the DSP Newsroom. Anonymous tips go to Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-TIP-3333.

The Sussex County Sheriff's Office at The Circle, Georgetown, handles warrant service and court security. The sheriff works with all twelve-plus municipal departments in the county, including Lewes Police. That coordination shows up on warrants and civil process items that cross the Lewes police blotter.

Response Times and Fees for Lewes Records

Lewes follows the state 15 business day rule under 29 Del. C. § 10003(h). Complex filings may need more time. The City Manager's Office can ask for an extension. Copy fees vary based on the scope. State Bureau of Identification arrest record checks run $25 to $45. Court Connect basic searches are free. Certified copies of court documents cost extra.

A Lewes police blotter denial can be challenged with the Delaware Attorney General. The AG writes formal opinions on petitions. Past opinions sit at attorneygeneral.delaware.gov/opinions. The opinions shape what Sussex County and Lewes can release or hold back under each exemption.

The ACLU of Delaware FOIA guide walks first-time filers through the process. The guide covers verifying the records, identifying the public body, gathering info, submitting, following up, and asking about fees.

Lewes Police Blotter Quick Contacts

Key numbers for the Lewes police blotter and related records:

• Lewes PD: (302) 645-6264
• Lewes PD admin line: 302-645-7777
• Sussex County Sheriff: (302) 855-7830
• Delaware Crime Stoppers: 1-800-TIP-3333
• Fire Marshal (Sussex): (302) 856-5600

See other Sussex County city pages for Seaford and Milford. Visit the Sussex County page for the county-wide records process.

Lewes residents can track most routine Lewes police blotter items through the monthly MCC reports. Formal FOIA filings are for specific incident reports or items older than the current archive.