Bethany employee arrested on sexual contact charges

Delaware State Police this week arrested the Town of Bethany Beach's public safety director on charges of unlawful sexual contact after he allegedly made inappropriate sexual contact with a female acquaintance during a work-related holiday party at a West Fenwick restaurant.

Police said 60-year-old Ralph Mitchell Jr. of Georgetown – the town's public safety director since 2004 and a former captain in the Bethany Beach Police Department – was at a Christmas party at Smitty McGee’s in West Fenwick on Thursday, Dec. 15, about 4:30 p.m., when he allegedly reached across the table and made “unwanted and inappropriate sexual contact” that caused the 42-year-old victim “offense and alarm.”

The victim contacted police about the incident on Friday, Dec. 16, according to the DSP, which conducted an investigation and subsequently obtained an arrest warrant for Mitchell. He turned himself in to DSP detectives on Saturday, Dec. 17.

Mitchell was charged with Unlawful Sexual Contact, Third Degree, and was released on $500 unsecured bond.

UPDATED: Bethany Beach Chief Michael Redmon told the Coastal Point on Dec. 22 that he was unable to comment on the incident, pending completion of the DSP investigation. He clarified that Mitchell was no longer a police officer as of 2004 but has since been employed by the town as its public safety director.