Delaware State Police Col. Thomas F. MacLeish retired effective Wednesday July 1 after nearly 32 years in law enforcement.
MacLeish, who is 55, faced mandatory retirement in August.
Mac Leish joined the state police in 1977 and rose steadily through the ranks. In 2001, he was promoted to Major, where he served as operations officer for Kent and Sussex Counties. In 2003, he was named Lt. Colonel where he served until October 2004 when he was appointed Acting Superintendent by Governor Ruth Ann Minner.
In 2005, he formally became the agency's superintendent, with the rank of Colonel.
MacLeish oversaw 671 sworn troopers and 255 civilian employees.
“For the past 32 years I have been blessed to serve the citizens of this state while working for one of the best organizations in the country," MacLeish said. "It’s been an absolute honor and privilege to lead such a group of outstanding men and women who so proudly represent Delaware State Police and selflessly provide law enforcement services to the citizens and visitors of Delaware. I will miss them tremendously.”
During his tenure with the state police, MacLeish with organizations like the Delaware Police Chiefs Council, the Council on Police Training, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, Camp Barnes and others. He holds a bachelor's degree in Management and Supervision from Wilmington University and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy. In 2006, he also graduated from the FBI's National Executive Institute.
“As a member of the law enforcement community for over 30 years, I have worked with some of the greatest law enforcement leaders in the world," said Lewis Schiliro, secretary of the Department of Safefy and Homeland Security. "In the past six months, Col. MacLeish has shown me that he is one of those great leaders. He has been a mentor, a great teacher and an incredible partner. I wish him and his family the best in all future endeavors.”
Highlights of MacLeish’s career with the State Police include:
- Working with state government to move the State Bureau of Identification to a newer and larger location at the Blue Hen Corporate Center. This provided better working conditions for state police civilian staffers to allow them to carry out the ever increasing demands required by legislation and a growing population.
- MacLeish also oversaw the creation and implementation of the Delaware Information & Analysis Center, DIAC. Focused on protecting Delaware’s infrastructure and combating terrorism, this renowned fusion center houses all forms of intelligence information in one repository.
- MacLeish worked with the General Assembly to implement 24 hour aviation coverage in Delaware. Having the ability to bring trauma victims to a medical facility within minutes during overnight hours was a focal point of his strategic plan to reduce loss of life on Delaware roadways.
- MacLeish and Attorney General Beau Biden worked collaboratively to create the Child Predator Task Force. This group is focused on protecting our children and patrols the Internet looking for individuals who invite themselves into our homes via computers to victimize our children.
- The Sex Offender Apprehension and Registration Unit (SOAR) was formed during MacLeish’s tenure. This unit is comprised of troopers who monitor convicted sex offenders for compliance and investigate any violations associated with the sex offender registry.
- Understanding and recognizing the rise in violent crime across the country, MacLeish saw the need for a Forensic Firearms Services Unit (FFSU). This unit is comprised of troopers and a civilian who are responsible for the forensic examination of weapons, fired bullets, cartridge cases or other ammunition components that have been fired from a specific firearm. This unit has given law enforcement personnel in Delaware and surrounding states the ability to effectively analyze ballistic evidence resulting in higher arrest rates and convictions for gun related crime.
