Prepping for the Plunge

February 19, 2026

After being delayed a month due to weather, next weekend, thousands will gather in the City of Rehoboth Beach for Special Olympic Delaware’s annual Polar Plunge Weekend. Rehoboth Beach Police Captain Jaime Riddle shares his insights on the event and how personnel from the city and beyond prepare for and assist the plunge.

This fan-favorite event is a welcome undertaking for multiple departments, led by the Rehoboth Beach Police Department. Captain Riddle describes, “The Rehoboth Beach Police Department conducts comprehensive operational planning for various public safety components of the Polar Bear Plunge weekend. This includes coordinating logistics, developing staffing plans, and organizing assignments for both RBPD personnel and assisting officers from agencies across the State of Delaware.”

In the days leading up to the plunge, the RBPD shares detailed operational information to all participating officers for a unified and coordinated approach. They also prepare and stage necessary equipment for traffic and pedestrian control, including barricades, cones, signage, and emergency access routes.

Throughout the weekend and during the main plunge event, the RBPD maintains a strong and visible presence throughout all event areas to help ensure a safe and secure environment for participants, spectators, volunteers, and residents. The RBPD also handles all police and medical service calls in the city as usual. Additionally, the RBPD work alongside law enforcement partners to provide crowd management, traffic control, pedestrian safety, and rapid response capabilities.

Captain Riddle describes the plunge as a statewide effort, due to the neighboring partners that assist in making the plunge a safe environment for all participants and spectators, including: Bethany Beach Police Department, Camden Police Department, Capitol Police, Clayton Police Department, DelDOT, Delmar Police Department, Delaware Alcohol & Tobacco Enforcement, Delaware Office of the State Fire Marshal, Delaware State Police, Dewey Beach Police Department, Laurel Police Department, Middletown Police Department, Newark Police Department, Rehoboth Beach Patrol, Rehoboth Beach Volunteer Fire Department, Smyrna Police Department, Sussex County EMS, and University of Delaware Police Department.

The Polar Bear Plunge raises funds for Special Olympics Delaware’s 4,000+ athletes across the state. The event began in Rehoboth in 1998 and has since expanded to a weekend festival that garners thousands of participants — in person and virtually — and raises over a million dollars each year. To learn more about the plunge and Special Olympics Delaware, visit their website.

Find details on city-wide street closures and parking restrictions for the plunge here.