First African American To Lead New Castle County Police

New Castle County Executive-elect Matt Meyer today announced that he will appoint New Castle County Police Lieutenant Colonel Vaughn M. Bond, Jr. as interim Chief of Police when he takes office on January 3, 2017. Lt. Colonel Bond will succeed current Chief of Police Elmer Setting, who recently announced his retirement.

“Lieutenant Colonel Bond is an experienced and able leader who has earned the community’s trust and the respect of his fellow officers,” Meyer said. “I look forward to working with interim Chief Bond and his command staff to build on the New Castle County Police Department’s effective and innovative work to protect the community as we work together to make our county government responsive and transparent.”

Lieutenant Colonel Bond has served as Deputy Chief of Police, and second in command of the New Castle County Police Department, since being named to his current position this past July. He joined the New Castle County Police in 1991, earning promotions through the ranks and serving in supervisory and management roles for more than 13 years. He has managed the Uniform Patrol Section and the Criminal Investigative Unit and recently served in the rank of Major as Commander of the agency’s Operations Branch.

A graduate of Delaware State University, Lieutenant Colonel Bond has completed more than 2,000 hours of specialized training, including from the West Point Command and Leadership Academy and the Senior Management Institute for Police Executives. He is a highly decorated officer, receiving a Distinguished Unit Citation and several letters of commendation, and was named as 1997 Crime Stoppers Detective of the Year, 1999 runner up for the Crime Stoppers Detective of the Year and the Mothers Against Drunk Driving Award. He has been recognized as a YMCA Black Achiever for his professional accomplishments and received the 2014 Law Enforcement Officer of the Year award by the Psi Iota Chapter of Omega Phi Psi Fraternity, Incorporated.