UPDATED: FOP Lodge 22 & City of Lewes Agree to Withdraw Union’s Formal Grievance
UPDATED – 09/12/25 – The City of Lewes and FOP Lodge 22 have agreed to withdraw formal grievance filed by the Union in early August. In a spirit of collaboration the Lewes Police Department, Mayor and Council have agreed to rescind three recent police officer appointments. The City Manager and Police Chief – in consultation with the Mayor and Council and the FOP – will develop a framework for succession planning within the police department and will review and update departmental policies regarding career elevation, promotional steps and workforce procedures to ensure consistency, transparency and fairness moving forward.
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ORIGINAL STORY – 08/03/25 – The Fraternal Order of Police Lower Delaware Labor Lodge No. 22 has filed a grievance with the City of Lewes and the City Manager. In June the Lewes Bargaining Unit met to discuss recent promotional appointments within the police department and a vote of no confidence was passed against City Manager, Ellen McCabe. In a news release, FOP Lodge 22 Vice President Tyler Sipple says the entire police department received an email from the Chief of Police with information about restructuring and select officers to be appointed to Deputy Chief, Lieutenant and Sergeant – effective the following day. Officials then learned the appointments were hand selected by the City Manager without support of the Administrative Staff and the Chief was ordered to secrecy up until the email notification.
There is an established policy in the City of Lewes Employee Personnel Manual to fill promotional positions and identifying the members who are best qualified. The current Collective Bargaining Agreement between the City of Lewes and the FOP Lodge 22 requires the City to follow established policy – which the FOP Lodge 22 says has not been done.
Sipple stated in the release from FOP Lodge 22,
“The Lewes City Manager’s flagrant disregard for the policy and procedures of the City and the Police Department has hurt the reputation of the City, the Community and the Police Department as a whole. It has had devastating impact on the Morale of the Police Officers serving the City of Lewes. This action will no doubt have an impact on recruiting and retention within the Police Department.”
The FOP Lodge 22 and the Lewes Bargaining Unit are disputing the promotional appointments through the Union’s established grievance procedure.
The Mayor and City Council of Lewes (MCC) are aware of the Police Union’s issues, concerns and grievance statement, but say they do have confidence in City Manager McCabe and the Chief of Police and the police department. In a statement the Mayor and Council said:
“We recognize that there are personnel and policy issues that have arisen. MCC has proactively initiated a process of interviews so we can address concerns raised by the City Manager, Chief of Police, and the Union.”
“Because the nature of the complaint is personnel related, we are not at liberty to provide details as we respect the confidentiality of the process and the individuals. We respect the Union’s grievance process, and following that process, we will not make further comments until the issues are resolved.”
City Manager Ellen McCabe also responded:
“I am aware of FOP Lodge #22 signed letter. Agreements, policies, and procedures are in place when issues, concerns, and grievances come from union members against management. Mayor & City Council have been briefed on the grievances filed by the Union and are working through the final step of the mutually agreed-upon grievance process. Since this is a personnel matter no public comments can be made at this time.”