The promotional ceremony that New Castle County Director of Public Safety Joseph Bryant, Jr. organized for NCC Police Chief Col. Elmer M. Setting this coming Monday would take place about four months after Setting’s appointment as chief by County Executive Thomas P. Gordon.
But, as Bryant put it, the promotion ceremony has been an important part of the formal tradition of New Castle County Police, a division with the Department of Public Safety.
“He deserves this,” Bryant said. “Over the last six months he has demonstrated tremendous leadership, vision and fortitude. In a short period in time, Colonel Setting and the members of our police agency have made an incredible impact the war on crime in New Castle County.
“I am proud to say that our Division of Police is once again among the leaders in the police enforcement community within the State of Delaware and beyond,” said Bryant, who rose to the rank of major during his career with NCC Police and became Colonel of the Delaware River & Bay Authority Police.
Setting said he understood the significance of the promotion ceremony. His promotion was confirmed by New Castle County Council in February.
“These ceremonies are important,” he said. “It’s for the agency itself. You serve at the pleasure of the county executive so this allows the police officers to see formally who their chief is.”
Since February, Setting has been intensely focused on the mission of the New Castle Police, namely to prevent crime from affecting the safety and quality of life of county residents and visitors.
Setting’s trademark initiative has been to implement the Targeted Analytic Policing System (TAPS), an intelligence driven, predictive policing effort using state-of-the-art technology. He implemented TAPS six months ago.
“It has been the most effective approach to policing in my 25 years with New Castle County Police,” Setting said. “It allows us to be in those areas where the crime is going to occur. It tells us what to watch for and where to be based on computer generated information. In the top five crime areas, we have had noted drops in quality of life crime – some as much as 70 percent.”
These include reductions in drug activity and shootings, Setting said. In total, there has been a 14 percent decrease in all crime for all of New Castle County.
“I believe that’s all related to the TAPS program,” he said. “We’ve had huge successes with that.”
New Castle County Executive Tom Gordon and Chief Administrative Officer David Grimaldi have been very pleased with Setting’s production.
“I’m proud of him,” said Gordon, who also served as Colonel of NCC Police prior to political office. “It’s one thing to be reactive to crime. Colonel Setting has trained our police department to be proactive. And that’s made a difference in the quality of life for the citizens of New Castle County.”
Setting graduated from the F.B.I. National Academy, the Senior Management Institute for Police at Harvard University and the National Emergency Training Center. He began his career with NCC Police in 1989 and rose to the ranks of sergeant, lieutenant, captain, acting chief and then chief. He has been awarded the New Castle County Distinguished Unit Citation and two Commendations of Merit as well as numerous letters of commendation.
Setting, 47, lives in Centreville with his family. His wife, three daughters and three grandchildren will attend his promotion ceremony.
WHO New Castle County Police Chief Col. Elmer M. Setting
WHAT Promotional Ceremony
WHEN 1 p.m. Monday
WHERE The Baby Grand Theater at The Grand Opera House, 818 N. Market St., Wilmington, DE 19801
RSVP [email protected]