OCEAN CITY – Crime statistics for the month of August continue to reflect a decrease in overall crime in Ocean City so far this year, remaining consistent with the downward crowd trend seen in 2014.
According to the report, August’s total calls for service, including traffic stops, business checks and assistance to citizens, totaled 13,261, which is a 2.1-percent increase from August 2013 when there were 12,983 calls for service. Out of that total, 9,664 were officer initiated, which is a 2.6-percent increase from August 2013, and 3,597 were citizen initiated, which is a 1.0-percent increase from August 2013.
The total number of calls for service, excluding traffic stops, business checks and assisting citizens, totaled 8,352, which is a .6-percent decrease from August 2013 when there were 8,400 calls for service. Out of the total, 4,958 were officer initiated, which is a 1.1-percent decrease from August 2013, and 3,394 were citizen initiated, which is a .1-percent increase from August 2013.
Out of the top 25 calls for service, the number of categories that increased or decreased came in at about even. The categories that increased start with disorderly conduct with 714 calls this year compared to 713 last year; assist to OC EMS increased from 294 in August of 2013 to 348 this year; suspicious person or activity increased from 275 last year to 325 this year; assist to motorists increased from 163 last year to 172 this year; civil dispute increased from 115 last year to 123 this year; domestic assault/dispute increased from 107 last year to 119 this year; assault already occurred increased from 85 last year to 94 this year; forgery of any kind increased from 82 last year to 91 this year; malicious destruction of property increased from 73 this year to 83 last year; DWI investigate and/or arrest increased from 33 last year to 50 this year; warrant attempt or arrest increased from 38 last year to 46 this year; report of a fight increased from 23 last year to 31 this year; and breaking and entering increased from 11 last year to 18 this year.
The categories that decreased in the month of August start with city ordinance violations declining from 1,114 in August of 2013 to 1,046 this year; assist to citizens decreased from 837 last year to 752 this year; 911 hang up calls decreased from 572 last year to 556 this year; collisions decreased from 316 last year to 312 this year; alcohol violations decreased from 250 last year to 206 this year; parking complaints/violations decreased from 294 last year to 186 this year; theft already occurred decreased from 194 last year to 181 this year; CDS violations decreased from 165 last year to 135 this year; noise complaint or violation decreased from 132 last year to 120 this year; trespassing decreased from 105 last year to 87 this year; assist to the fire company decreased from 86 last year to 83 this year; and tow impound by police decreased from 90 last year to 69 this year.
There were 442 arrests made in August and 133 criminal citations issued. There were 84 drug arrests made and 99 drug citations. There were 63 DUI arrests made and 31 weapon arrests, according to OCPD data.
Eight months into the year, a weekly breakdown reflects a 2.1-percent decrease in total crime this year compared to last year.
Under Part 1 Crimes, there has been one homicide compared to one this time last year; no shootings compared to one this time last year; 20 forcible rapes in 2013 compared to 22 this year; 18 robberies in 2013 compared to 16 this year; 37 aggravated assaults in 2013 compared to 48 this year; 172 burglaries in 2013 compared to 240 this year; 814 larcenies in 2013 compared to 748 this year; 23 auto thefts in 2013 compared to 28 this year; and there were no cases of arson in both 2013 and so far this year.
There have been 581 common assaults so far this year compared to 637 this time last year and 48 minor sex offenses so far this year compared to 47 last year, resulting in an overall total of 1,732 crimes at the end of August this year compared to 1,769 at the end of August in 2013.
For comparison, the daily average population estimates in Ocean City in August produced by Demoflush was 260,247 this year compared to 269,642 last August, which is a 3.5-percent decrease.