Wilmington – Wilmington Police Chief Bobby Cummings announced today that he is retiring from the police force after 32 years of service. The Chief’s retirement will be effective next Friday, April 14.
Mayor Mike Purzycki issued the following statement tonight with regard to the Chief’s announcement:
“I express my thanks and appreciation to Chief Cummings for his outstanding record of service to the citizens of Wilmington. Next Thursday, a walk out ceremony will be held so the men and women of the Police Department can honor the Chief for his service. This ceremony also marks the Chief’s formal retirement from the Wilmington Police Department. I join with Members of City Council, and citizens throughout Wilmington in saying thank you and Godspeed to a true law enforcement professional who served his City with distinction. I also wish the Chief well in any new endeavors which may follow.”
Mayor Purzycki said he will announce and introduce Wilmington’s new Police Chief next week.
Until recently a nationwide search was underway, for someone to lead the Wilmington Police Department. The Mayor said that there were several candidates that are interested in the job, adding that Cummings was competing for the job too.
The outgoing 53-year-old police chief is a thirty two year veteran of the City of Wilmington Department of Police. During his tenure, he served in many capacities. He served as the Interim Chief of Police, the Inspector of Uniformed Operations in charge of the Uniformed Services Division, Special Operations Division, and the Support Services / Communications & Technology Division.
He was also assigned as the Commanding Officer of the Support Services / Communications & Technology Division, Special Operations Division as the Commanding Officer in charge of coordinating all Special Events in the City of Wilmington, the Traffic Unit, the Canine Unit, Crime Prevention Unit, Crisis Management Tactical Team/Hostage Negotiations Team, the Marine Unit, and the Wilmington Department of Police Honor Guard.
Additional duties included Human Resources Division as the Executive Officer in charge of hiring new police officers and training, the Criminal Investigations Division as an investigator, the Drug, Organized Crime and Vice Division as an undercover officer, the Patrol Division as a street supervisor, and the Supervisor of the Governor’s Task Force (Operation Safe Streets, Anti-Violent Crime Unit).
He is also graduate of the 206 Session of the FBI National Academy and served as President for the Maryland/Delaware Chapter of the FBINAA in 2011. He was a member of the Crisis Management Tactical Team from 1986 – 2001.
Chief Cummings was born in Millen, Georgia on September 1, 1963. He has been married 28 years to Simone Cummings, and they have a daughter and two grandsons.