PRESS RELEASE: TOWN OF FENWICK ISLAND STATEMENT RE: COASTAL POINT ARTICLE ALLEGING SECURITY BREACH
TOWN OF FENWICK ISLAND STATEMENT RE: COASTAL POINT ARTICLE ALLEGING SECURITY BREACH:
A recent Coastal Point article printed allegations that Fenwick Island Mayor Natalie Magdeburger “gained unauthorized access” to the Town’s police department and “breached the door” to the police building on April 23, 2023. The Coastal Point similarly repeated the characterization of a “security breach” at the police building.
These allegations are recklessly false, misleading and inflammatory.
For years, members of Town Council and Town staff have had access to the Town’s police building through the use of a security door code. Chief Devlin had personally provided the Mayor with the security door code to gain access to the building and had shown her how to use it.
On April 23, 2023, the Mayor visited the police building, on her way home from being out of town, to obtain a copy of the police schedule so she could plan ride-a longs with officers the following week. Because police cars were parked in front of the building, it was evident that officers were in the building. The Mayor used the door code given to her by Chief Devlin to enter the outer door to the police building, and an officer in the interior of the police building (where the squad area and computer equipment is located) opened the interior door. A second officer was also present in the building. The Mayor was, at all times, escorted by officers while she was in the squad area of the police building. The Mayor did not seek access, nor was she given access, to any information contained in the Delaware Criminal Justice Information System (“DELJIS”). The Mayor conversed with the officers in the police building, was provided a copy of a police schedule she had requested, and then left.
The Mayor and the Town Council take security very seriously. The Town Council will request, and will fully cooperate with, a thorough, professional and independent investigation and review of procedures and actual events regarding security at the Town‘s police building.
The Coastal Point should exercise greater caution and restraint before making and repeating inflammatory allegations that turn out to be false and misleading. Our Town deserves better.
