Dewey Beach Police Department

05/31/2026

Last week, three more of our Seasonal Police Officers attended a four-day police mountain bike school instructed by PFC Dowling.
They passed this challenging International Police Mountain Bike Association (IPMBA) course with flying colors!
DBPD now has a full complement of bike officers to provide high visibility, reduced response times, and be able to traverse large crowds and heavy traffic quickly in an emergency.
Congratulations to our newly certified bike officers!

05/30/2026

As our families and young visitors graduating from High School start their beach week celebrations, we wanted to let parents know:

-Dewey Beach has a juvenile curfew that is in effect every day of the year. Unaccompanied minors cannot be in public (including the beach) from 11 p.m. until 5 a.m. for juveniles under 18 years of age.

- Consuming alcohol in public is illegal, consuming alcohol underage is illegal, and purchasing and providing alcohol to underage persons is illegal.

- Urinating in public (to include the property of residents is illegal)

- Consuming cannabis in a public space is illegal, as well as its consumption by persons under 21 years of age.

- Some restaurants/bars that sell food transition to an adults-only environment after 9:00 p.m. Persons under 21 years of age are not allowed.

- Not crossing at the crosswalk is illegal and very dangerous! Please use the crosswalks when crossing and remember to activate the flashing lights before crossing.

Have a fun-filled vacation, and we hope you have a safe vacation in our beautiful beach town!

Please click on the link to view the curfew in its entirety:

https://evocloud-prod3-public.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/meetings/40/attachments/12171.pdf

05/28/2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Dewey Beach Police Arrest Two Adult Males Following a Disturbance and Assault on Officers.

Dewey Beach, Del. – May 28, 2026 — Dewey Beach Police arrested two individuals early Thursday morning following a disturbance and subsequent physical altercation with officers in the area of Coastal Highway and Saulsbury Street.
At approximately 3:20 a.m. on May 28, 2026, officers were dispatched to the Izzy Plaza parking lot for a report of two males yelling at one another. Upon arrival, officers located two individuals seated in front of a business, located at 2009 Coastal Highway, Dewey Beach. The individuals were identified as:

- David Reina, a 19-year-old white male from Bethesda, MD, and
- Quentin Wilber, an 18-year-old white male. from Chevy Chase, MD.

During the investigation, officers attempted to identify both subjects. One subject repeatedly provided false names and dates of birth, while the second subject also provided multiple false dates of birth to hinder the investigation. Officers also learned that one of the individuals had been involved in a theft incident inside a nearby business, which was handled civilly by staff.
As officers continued their investigation, both subjects attempted to flee the scene on foot westbound on Saulsbury Street. During the attempted detention, a physical struggle ensued between the two individuals. One subject attempted to interfere with officers as they took the other into custody. Officers issued multiple verbal commands, which were ignored.
One subject fled toward Coastal Highway before an officer deployed a department-issued Taser, successfully stopping the individual and allowing officers to take him into custody. The second subject continued to resist arrest before being restrained with assistance from a bystander.
Both adult suspects were transported to the Dewey Beach Police Department for processing. One subject was later transported to Beebe Hospital for evaluation due to signs of intoxication and possible health concerns. He was treated and released from the hospital.
Two Dewey Beach police officers sustained minor injuries during the incident and were not transported for medical treatment.
The following charges were filed against the defendants:
Disorderly Conduct
Resisting Arrest with Force or Violence (Felony)
Offensive Touching of a Law Enforcement Officer
Knowingly Giving False Statements to Law Enforcement with Intent to Hinder Investigation
Underage Possession/Consumption of Alcohol (2 counts)
Both defendants were arraigned at Justice of the Peace Court #2 in Lewes, Delaware, and committed to the Delaware Department of Correction pending further proceedings.

05/28/2026

Over the holiday weekends when we have all hands on deck, we feed our officers and the officers from assisting allied agencies.

During the Memorial Day weekend we went to Russo by the Sea for some of the very best pizza we've had in a long time!
The pizza was amazing, and we appreciate the shoutout from Russo by the Sea another community partner that are huge supporters of public safety.
It definitely made the long work hours for our officers a little bit tastier!!🍕🍕🍕

Russo by the Sea staff was honored to provide pizza for Dewey’s finest. We acknowledge your tireless efforts during this period. Keep up the commendable work of safeguarding the community. Beach Police Department

05/27/2026

Last week PFC Dowling, who is our certified police mountain bike instructor through IPMBA (International Police Mountain Bike Association). Conducted a four-day rider course for four officers from the Smyrna Police Department and four of our Seasonal Police Officers.
This past weekend, they were out on the street putting into practice everything they had just learned. This week, another group of Seasonal Officers will get certified to ride our mountain bikes during patrol!

05/25/2026

REMEMBER AND HONOR

Memorial Day is not only a tribute to those who died in combat but also a moment for Americans to reflect on the cost of war and the value of service. It reinforces national memory, patriotism, and respect for the military, while connecting communities through shared acts of remembrance.

05/24/2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Dewey Beach, Delaware Police Department
May 24, 2026
Arrest Made Following Burglary and Vandalism at Woody’s Dewey Beach
The Dewey Beach, DE Police Department has arrested Joseph HOYLE (WM 23 of Middletown, DE) in connection with a burglary and vandalism incident that occurred at Woody’s Dewey Beach, located at 1904 Coastal Highway, Dewey Beach, Delaware.
On May 23, 2026, at approximately 8:40 a.m., restaurant management contacted police after discovering extensive damage to the restaurant’s outdoor deck area. During the investigation, officers reviewed surveillance footage, which showed HOYLE entering the business at approximately 2:30 a.m.
Investigators determined that HOYLE entered the deck area and caused significant damage by overturning tables, damaging furniture, and destroying an outdoor television valued at approximately $5,600. Total damages are estimated at $6,140.
Witnesses advised police they observed HOYLE on the deck area, but believed he was an employee and did not witness any criminal activity due to the enclosed structure.
HOYLE was known to the Dewey Beach Police Department from an earlier, unrelated incident in which he had previously been contacted and released.
On May 24, 2026, at approximately 10:00 a.m., HOYLE turned himself in to the Dewey Beach Police Department. He was charged with:
Burglary Third Degree (Felony)
Criminal Mischief – Property Damage $5,000 or More (Felony)
Criminal Trespass Second Degree (Misdemeanor)
HOYLE was arraigned before Justice of the Peace Court #3 and released on his own recognizance.
The investigation remains ongoing.

05/23/2026

IMPORTANT MESSAGE

Sharing altered or AI-generated images during an active police investigation is irresponsible and can create unnecessary confusion for the public. The original post identified a suspect and included actual surveillance imagery related to the criminal mischief incident at Woody’s — a place that means a lot to the Dewey Beach community. Changing clothing, adding fake details, or turning a serious investigation into a joke only interferes with public awareness and respect for the process. Let law enforcement handle the facts.

05/23/2026

UPDATE: 5/24/2026

The suspect in this case, Joseph Hoyle turned himself into Dewey Beach Police Department this morning. Further information will be provided in a press release.

The Dewey Beach Police Department is actively investigating the criminal incident at Woody's last night/early this morning.
We are pursuing investigative leads and have tentatively identified the suspect as Joseph HOYLE. The suspect is not in custody at this time, but is believed to still be in the area. If you have any information about the incident or the suspect's location, please contact the Police Department at (302) 227-1110.

This page is not monitored 24/7; subsequently, comments are turned off. Please call the Police Department with any information in reference to this case. Thank you.

05/22/2026

Our partners in public safety at the Beach Patrol will be on duty and guarding our beaches beginning this weekend.

Welcome back to the very best Beach Patrol in the business!

Memorial Day weekend marks the unofficial start of the summer season, and for beach patrols like Dewey Beach, it’s the beginning of a busy summer on the sand.