OC Off To Quieter Start On Crime Front Than Usual

OCEAN CITY – In the first month of the New Year, Ocean City Police Department data reflects overall crime down compared to the first month last year.

Last week the Ocean City Police Commission reviewed crime statistics and Taser incidents for the month of January.

According to the report, January’s total calls for service, including traffic stops, business checks and assistance to citizens, totaled 4,190, which is a 2.1-percent decrease from January 2014 when there were 4,280 calls for service.
Out of that total, 3,486 were officer initiated, which is a .6-percent increase from January 2014, and 704 were citizen initiated, which is 13.5-percent decrease from January 2014.

The total number of calls for service, excluding traffic stops, business checks and assisting citizens, totaled 2,075, which is a 3.4-percent increase from January 2014 when there were 2,006 calls for service. Out of the total, 1,409 were officer initiated, which is a 14.6-percent increase from January 2014, and 666 were citizen initiated, which is a 14.2-percent decrease from January 2014.
Out of the top 25 calls for service, the majority of the categories increased. Traffic stops increased to 713 calls for service compared to 632 in January of last year; suspicious person or activity increased to 129 this year from 123 last year; assist to citizens increased to 116 this year from 98 last year; animal complaints increased to 86 this year from 78 last year; 911 hang up calls increased to 78 this year from 77 last year; alarm premise increased to 71 this year from 53 last year; assist to OC EMS increased to 59 this year from 46 last year; assist to other police agencies increased to 49 this year from 24 last year; theft already occurred increased to 27 this year from 15 last year; trespassing increased to 14 this year from nine last year; parking complaints increased to 12 this year from eight last year; malicious destruction of property increased to six this year from five last year; and emergency committal increased to three this year from two last year.

The categories that decreased in the month of January start with assist to the fire department decreased to 54 calls for service this year compared to 106 in January of last year;  public safety concerns decreased to 52 this year from 57 last year; assist to motorists decreased to 48 this year from 60 last year; warrant attempt or arrest decreased to 30 this year from 32 last year; disorderly decreased to 24 this year from 42 last year; protective/summons service decreased to 21 this year from 32 last year; collisions decreased to 19 this year from 24 last year; and assault already occurred decreased to nine this year from 11 last year.

The category of domestic assault/dispute remained the same with 23 calls in both January of 2014 and 2015, as well as civil dispute remained the same with 15 calls, CDS violations remained the same with 14 calls, and city ordinance violations remained the same with eight calls.

There were 72 arrests made in January and three criminal citation issued. There were nine drug arrests made and nine drug citations issued. There were 11 DUI arrests made and three weapon arrests, according to OCPD data.

At the end of January, a weekly breakdown reflects a 20.7-percent decrease in total crime so far this year compared to this time last year.
Under Part 1 Crimes there are no homicides at the end of January in 2015 compared to none at the end of January in 2014; no shootings in 2015 compared to none in 2014; no forcible rapes in 2015 compared to none in 2014; no robberies in 2015 compared to no robberies in 2014; one aggravated assault in 2015 compared to one in 2014; three burglaries in 2015 compared to 25 in 2014; 23 larcenies in 2015 compared to 14 in 2014; no auto thefts in 2015 compared to none in 2014; and no cases of arson in both 2014 and 2015.

For comparison, the daily average population estimates in Ocean City in January produced by Demoflush was 77,378 in 2015 compared to 69,214 in January of 2014, which is 11.7-percent increase.

There were three incidents in January where a Controlled Electronic Weapon (CEW), also known as a Taser, was involved.

On Jan. 3, officers were dispatched to an assault in progress involving the suspect beating the victim with a white stick/object. After refusing initially, the officer targeted the suspect with his CEW, which gained immediate compliance. There were no injuries to anyone involved.

Also, on Jan. 3, officers responded to a call for service regarding a female subject, who was threatening to harm herself with a knife. When the female refused to show the officers her hands, the primary officer targeted her with his CEW, which gained compliance from the female to show her hands, revealing that she was not holding the knife at that time. There were no injuries to anyone involved.

On Jan. 10, an officer immediately parked his cruiser next to a fight and exited the cruiser with his CEW displayed, as he approached the two subjects. As the two subjects were beginning to stand up after seeing the officer arrive on scene, the officer ordered both subjects to the ground. One subject complied immediately, and the second subject eventually complied after seeing the CEW in the officer’s hands. There were no injuries to anyone involved.