Search New Castle County Police Blotter
New Castle County police blotter records come from a mix of agencies. The New Castle County Division of Police covers most of the unincorporated county. Wilmington runs its own department with 305 sworn officers. Smaller towns like Newark, Middletown, and New Castle have their own police. You can search press releases online, file a FOIA request for a specific report, or look up an active warrant in the statewide DELJIS database. This page lists each New Castle County police blotter source and shows where to send a records request.
New Castle County Overview
New Castle County Police Blotter Agencies
The New Castle County Division of Police is the main agency for the unincorporated parts of the county. The records unit sits at 3601 N. DuPont Highway, New Castle, DE 19720. Records staff handle calls at (302) 395-8171. Every routine incident report, accident, and arrest the county takes flows through that office.
The NCCPD News site is the public-facing New Castle County police blotter. Public Information Officers post news releases, Gold Alerts for missing adults, arrest announcements, and traffic bulletins. A recent post covered a Gold Alert for Risha Lewis, missing since 2006 from 467 Morehouse Drive. Sgt. Andrea Botterbusch leads the PIO team. Missing person tips go to 302-395-8110 or Missing@Newcastlede.gov. Anonymous tips route to Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-TIP-3333.
Wilmington operates its own department inside the city line. Newark, Middletown, and the smaller towns each run their own as well. A county-wide police blotter search often means checking each agency that covers the block where the call took place.
Note: Missing person press releases on the New Castle County police blotter are updated when the person is found, so check the post date before acting.
New Castle County FOIA and Records Requests
New Castle County runs its FOIA process through a central county coordinator. The county has to respond within 15 business days under 29 Del. C. ยง 10003(h). Most routine items do not need a formal FOIA. A quick call to the right department often gets the answer faster.
The county lays out the process at newcastlede.gov. You fill out the request form, list the records you want, and submit by mail, email, or in person. Be specific. Dates, names, and case numbers help the FOIA coordinator find the file.

The page above explains what you can and cannot get under the state FOIA. Two recent opinions shape what the county releases. In 26-IB12 from March 2026, the AG held the county did not violate FOIA on a code enforcement records request. In 20-IB30 from December 2020, the AG upheld the county's denial of executed arrest warrants, since those are kept by the courts rather than police.
New Castle County Sheriff and Court Records
The New Castle County Sheriff's Office sits at 87 Reads Way, New Castle, DE 19720. The phone is (302) 395-8450. The sheriff handles civil process, warrant service, court security, and inmate transport. The office also keeps sheriff's sale files and civil process records.
Criminal court cases tied to a New Castle County police blotter entry show up in two courthouses. The Superior Court at 500 N. King Street, Wilmington, handles felonies. The Court of Common Pleas, at the same address, hears misdemeanors. Justice of the Peace Courts across the county take minor criminal and traffic cases. Pull case details at courts.delaware.gov/CourtConnect.
Public access terminals sit inside each courthouse. Hours run Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Some docket items online, full files in person.
Arrest Records in New Castle County
Arrest records hold more detail than a short police blotter line. Each file lists the arrestee's name, date of birth, physical description, and charge codes. Most also include the arresting agency, officer name and badge, date and time of arrest, warrant info, booking photos, bond, and custody status.
To look up an arrest record in the county, you have five main paths:
- File a formal request with the arresting agency
- Contact the New Castle County Sheriff's Office
- Submit a FOIA to the Delaware State Police
- Search the DELJIS public wanted persons file
- Visit the New Castle County Courthouse in Wilmington

The New Castle arrest records guide lists retention periods for each file type. Basic arrest records stay in DELJIS more or less forever. Misdemeanor case files run 7 to 10 years after closure. Felony files stretch to 25 years or longer. Fingerprint cards stay on file permanently.
Wilmington Police Blotter and Records
Wilmington Police Department is the largest force in New Castle County. The department traces back to 1739 and has been CALEA accredited since 1994. Chief Wilfredo Campos leads a force of 305 sworn officers. The Wilmington records unit sits at 300 North Walnut Street. Call (302) 576-3607 with questions about a New Castle County police blotter entry from the city side.
Victims can pick up an incident report in person at no charge for the first copy. Non-victims cannot get a report under FOIA and need a subpoena or other legal route. Collision reports cost $20, or $60 for serious injury or fatality files. Check wilmingtonde.gov for the full report request form. The city also posts a Wilmington supplement to the annual Crime in Delaware report through the Statistical Analysis Center.
Detective James Tobin handles sex offender compliance at WPD. His line is (302) 576-3643. Tier II and Tier III offenders living in New Castle County show up on the state registry. The Drug, Organized Crime and Vice Division in Wilmington handles local compliance checks and community notifications.
Crime Data and New Castle County Police Blotter Trends
New Castle County is the biggest source of data in the state Crime in Delaware reports. The Statistical Analysis Center pulls NIBRS data from Wilmington, Newark, Middletown, and the county police. The annual report breaks out violent crime, property crime, drug offenses, and arrest counts. New Castle County numbers drive much of the statewide trend.
Pull the full data at sac.delaware.gov. A New Castle County police blotter entry rolls into the NIBRS feed once the agency codes it. That means summary reports run a bit behind real-time. For current items, stick with NCCPD News or the Delaware State Police newsroom. For trends, the annual SAC reports are the right source.
Warrants, Fire Records, and the State FOIA Portal
For active warrants tied to a New Castle County police blotter case, use the DELJIS public wanted persons search. You need a last name to run a query. First name helps narrow the results. The database holds over 70,000 active warrants from across Delaware.
Fire investigations run through the State Fire Marshal's office. The New Castle County FOIA contact is Robert L. Fox at 2307 MacArthur Road, (302) 323-5375. File through statefiremarshal.delaware.gov. For statewide items outside the county, the State of Delaware FOIA Portal routes your request to the right FOIA coordinator.
Note: DELJIS warrant data may lag behind real arrests by a few hours, so an active hit could already be cleared.
New Castle County Cities Police Blotter Pages
Each municipal agency in New Castle County runs its own police blotter workflow. Pick a city below for local contacts and the correct records unit.