Fenwick town officials opt out of three-police partnership

OCEAN VIEW, Del. – Town officials in Fenwick recently opted out of a three-police partnership between Fenwick, South Bethany and Ocean View police departments.

This past couple of weeks, the three police departments were looking to establish a new partnership, which they say would improve police patrol in and around the beach towns.

But, last Friday, some town officials in Fenwick agreed that they did not have enough staff at their police department to move forward.

Now both the Ocean View and South Bethany Police departments will be working together in a two-police partnership, which will allow them to do more training together and start new programs in the future.

We’re told South Bethany Police are expected to be short-staffed this year. So, officials say the partnership will be helpful.

The Ocean View Police Chief Kenneth McLaughlin tells us this new push is critical to help fight crime in the future.

“All of the primary professional law enforcement organizations are really encouraging police departments to collaborate and specifically on crime-fighting efforts, so we just can’t go at it alone,” said McLaughlin.

“We have to pour our resources and battle crime together,” said McLaughlin.

McLaughlin says Ocean View and South Bethany are open to any other police agency looking to join their partnership.