Ed Grandis is currently a City of Rehoboth Beach Alderman’s Court Judge and in summers past had also been a seasonal policeman here. The first time I remember becoming aware of Ed was a few years ago at the Love Benefit dance held each July 4. He was there with a few other guys when it occurred to me that I had seen him in uniform on the streets of our city. Read on to find out more about Ed and how fortunate we are to have him dedicating his time and experience to serving the community.

Mark: Where are you originally from?

Ed: Richmond, Virginia.

Mark: What brought you to the Rehoboth Beach area?

Ed: I wanted to find a place to relax and unwind after the work week. I looked for a place that offered attractive scenery and also good food, shopping and recreation. Coastal Sussex County was a perfect mix and offered an excellent quality of life.

Mark: How did you come to be a summer policeman in Rehoboth Beach?

Ed: I enjoy the outdoors. I enjoyed my weekender lifestyle. I began to look at ways to stay more of the summer in the Rehoboth area and be outdoors. When I learned of the seasonal officer position, I thought it would be a great way to learn more about Rehoboth and provide a community service.

Mark: What was that like?

Ed: An outstanding experience. It has given me great confidence in the quality of our police department and the dedication of our officers to serve the entire community. I learned policing is as much about crime prevention and assisting residents and our visitors as it is in actual crime fighting. There is a lot that goes on that prevents crime which has made Rehoboth Beach a great place to live and to feel safe and secure.

Mark: You are now a judge in the City of Rehoboth Beach Alderman’s court. What is that like?

Ed: I was reluctant to give up the "outdoors" work. I received a call from the city and met Alderman DeFiore, for whom I have great respect. I was honored to be asked to assist the Court and serve the community. The Alderman’s Court is a municipal court and many of our hours are spent resolving grievances about parking and traffic infractions. We also handle misdemeanors mostly related to alcohol consumption, shoplifting, trespass, and criminal mischief. I hear some terrific stories. It has been a great opportunity to learn another aspect of the law enforcement equation. The work has also helped me understand the difficulties of resolving the natural conflicts between residential needs and business activities.

Mark: The state had considered taking away the Alderman Courts from the cities that have them. What do you think of that?

Ed: The idea of eliminating the "city" courts is not in our interest as a beach community. The "so-called" problems that lead to discussions about eliminating the Alderman Courts are not about the Alderman Courts but rather there is a real need to modernize and for coordination between the Alderman Courts and the state criminal justice agencies. This can be easily done today with the use of current technologies utilizing computers and the Internet. There is also a need to provide judicial training, update court rules and require ongoing judicial education which is now required in the State courts. The quality of life of Rehoboth Beach will be seriously compromised if the Alderman Court is closed. Would we want the state police enforcing our local laws? No. The same should be said about adjudication. Rather than take away local control, the state should be developing strategies to upgrade and coordinate our local court with the state courts and law enforcement agencies.

Mark: What did you do previously?

Ed: I have a law practice in Washington, DC.

Mark: Do you have a little known Rehoboth Beach pleasure?

Ed: Enjoying my home in the woods; and the beach during the late afternoons.

Mark: How do you think Rehoboth Beach is going to change in the coming years?

Ed: It depends on the local elected leadership. I am very concerned how the Sussex County Council is bent on using the coastal areas as an economic resource and not addressing the ecological, residential and transportation problems which will destroy the quality of life we cherish. I have a very high regard for the Rehoboth Beach Mayor, commissioners, and city employees in enhancing and preserving our one square mile. The Streetscape initiative is a significant commitment to enhancing our image and infrastructure. However, our square mile needs a buffer which the county is not interested in providing to protect our resources.

Mark: If you could change one thing about Rehoboth Beach what would that be?

Ed: I would work to provide financial incentives to encourage our police officers, firefighters, and teachers to live in the Rehoboth area. I think it is important for every community to find ways to offer housing incentives to the people we entrust our children and lives to on a daily basis. I would also like to figure out how to make the city streets more bike friendly and create safe bike routing north and south of the city. You see so much more from a bike; and it would improve tourism.

Mark: If you could preserve one thing about Rehoboth Beach forever what would that be?