"Operation Second Wind" Focuses On Sex Offender Compliance For Tier II Offenders In New Castle County

Operation’s Foundation:
The Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 was enacted on July 27, 2006. In addition to establishing a national sex offender registry law, the Act made significant changes to sexual abuse, exploitation, and transportation crimes. The Act created new substantive crimes, expanded federal jurisdiction over existing crimes, and increased statutory minimum and/or maximum sentences.

Operation’s Goal and Objective:
Federal, State and Local Law Enforcement team up and perform compliance checks on Tier II Registered Sex Offenders in New Castle County Operation as first phase in a statewide effort.

Participating Law Enforcement Agencies:
Delaware State Police Sex Offenders Apprehension and Registration Unit
Delaware Attorney General’s Office
New County Police Department
Wilmington Police Department
Department of Corrections - Delaware Probation and Parole
University of Delaware Police Department
Newark Police Department
Middletown Police Department
Elsmere Police Department
United States Marshals Service District of Delaware

"Operation Second Wind" was the result of a collaborative effort of numerous Law Enforcement organizations throughout New Castle County.

The joint compliance initiative combined approximately 48 Federal, State, and Local Law Enforcement Officers in New Castle County and took place randomly over a four month period beginning in January, 2012. The Operation culminated in a sex offender wanted persons round up the week of April 2, 2012.

During Operation Second Wind, 710 compliance checks were conducted in New Castle County of Tier 2 Sex Offenders. A total of 29 offenders were found to be non-compliant for a compliance rate of 96%. The focus of the enforcement phase of the operation included any wanted sex offender in the state of Delaware.

As a result of these enforcement efforts, there were 31 total arrests made during the operation. 27 sex offenders were arrested for Failure to Register/Failure to Verify; 2 sex offenders were arrested for Violation of Probation of prior sex offenses and 2 arrests were made for subjects with Capias’ on Failure to Appear for previous court appearances.

The U.S. Marshals Service for the District of Delaware opened 13 federal cases under provision of the Adam Walsh Act for ongoing investigation and potential prosecution based on information obtained during this operation.

Operation Second Wind demonstrates how through the collaborative efforts of all Law Enforcement agencies, when working together, can assist in making Delaware a safer place for our children to live and grow.

This is part of the Delaware State Police’s Sex Offender Apprehension and Registration Unit's (SOAR) ongoing effort to ensure our sex offender population is doing what they are legally required to do.

A 97 percent compliance rate from a previous operation targeting Tier 3 offenders statewide coupled with a 96 percent compliance rate for this Tier 2 operation for New Castle County is indicative that the system and its inherent safeguards/checks and balances are lending themselves to knowing where the population of Sex Offenders is residing within our community. Similar operations for Kent and Sussex Counties are in the planning stages at this time.

U. S. Marshals Office Comments: “The Marshals Service for the District of Delaware was glad to be a participant in this operation with our State and Local Law Enforcement partners, in making sure that all provisions of laws regarding sex offender’s registration compliance were being met. We will continue to assist our law enforcement partners with apprehending those non-compliant and wanted sex offenders so they will be held accountable for their actions. The Marshals Service is committed to making our communities and neighborhoods safer places to live”.

Comments from Attorney General Beau Biden: “Sex Offenders have forfeited their right to be anonymous. Thanks to the constant efforts of the Delaware State Police Sex Offender Apprehension and Registration Unit, and periodic compliance checks like this, we’re ensuring that predators register and verify their location as required with the State. Knowing where predators are helps law enforcement and families keep our kids and communities safe.”