OCEAN CITY – The year got off to a quiet start in Ocean City as calls for service to the police department and total crime have decreased in the month of January compared to this time last year.
At Monday’s Police Commission meeting, Ocean City Police Chief Ross Buzzuro reported January’s total calls for service, including traffic stops, business checks and assistance to citizens, totaled 4,280, which is a .4-percent decrease from January 2013 when there were 4,297 calls for service.
Out of that total, 3,466 were officer initiated, which is a 1.3-percent decrease from January 2013, and 814 were citizen initiated, which is a 3.4-percent increase from January 2013.
The total number of calls for service, excluding traffic stops, business checks and assisting citizens, totaled 2,005, which is a 6.6-percent decrease from January 2013 when there were 2,146 calls for service. Out of the total, 1,230 were officer initiated, which is a 12.1-percent decrease from January 2013, and 775 were citizen initiated, which is a 3.9-percent increase from January 2013.
Out of the top 25 calls for service, most of the categories decreased in January compared to January in 2013 starting with 46 assists made to Ocean City EMS compared to 85 last year; disorderly calls declined to 42 from 57; warrant attempt or arrest went down to 32 from 51; DWI investigate and/or arrest decreased to 26 from 29; domestic assault/dispute were 23 compared to 36 last year; theft already occurred decreased to 14 from 32; CDS violations were down to 14 from 26; parking complaints/violations decreased to eight from 10; city ordinance violation declined to eight from 11; there were four lost property reports compared to eight last year; two emergency committals from five last year; and alcohol violations decreased to one from three last year.
Coded calls for service that increased included assists to the fire company were 106 this January compared to 67 last January; 911 hang up calls were 77 this year compared to 71 last year; collisions increased to 24 from 15; breaking and entering went up to 20 this year compared to 10 last year; trespassing increased to nine from seven; noise complaints or violations reached seven compared to five last year; and there were two reports of a fight compared to one last year.
A high number of categories under the top calls for service remained the same between January 2013 and 2014, including suspicious person or activity at 123, there were 15 civil disputes, assaults already occurred stayed at 11, there were five malicious destruction of property, two weapon violations and one forgery of any kind.
There were 85 arrests made in January and nine criminal citations issued. There were 14 drug arrests made and eight drug citations. There were 27 DUI arrests made and eight weapon arrests, according to OCPD data.
After the first month of the year, a weekly breakdown reflects a 20.9-percent decrease in total crime this year compared to last year.
Under Part 1 Crimes, there have been no homicides compared to one this time last year; no shootings in both January of 2013 and 2014; no forcible rape compared to one last year; no robberies in both years; one aggravated assault compared to two this time last year; burglaries increased to 28 in January this year from 15 last year; larceny decreased to 15 from 29 last year; one auto theft compared to two last year; and there were no cases of arson in both January of 2013 and 2014.
“In the first month, we have seen an increase in burglaries this year from last year. There are three different areas where the burglaries are occurring but out of those 28, seven of those were found at one time, and that was at the north end. As soon as we have seen a rise, it has curtailed,” Chief Buzzoro said. “Burglaries have become our top priority.”
There have been 23 common assaults so far this year compared to 34 this time last year and no minor sex offenses so far this year compared to two last year, resulting in an overall total of 68 crimes as of the end of January compared to 86 at the end of January in 2013.
For comparison, the weekly average population estimates in Ocean City in January produced by Demoflush was 69,117 this year compared to 65,348 last year, which is a 5.8-percent increase.
There were two incidents in January where a Controlled Electronic Weapon (CEW), also known as a Taser, was involved. These incidents are monthly discussions at the commission level.
On Jan. 1, an officer responded to the area of 128th Street regarding an intoxicated suspect who refused to pay his cab fare. Upon arrival, the officer observed the suspect flee on foot when the suspect noticed the officer’s presence. The officer gave chase through a parking lot, when the suspect eventually turned around and began shouting at the officer, while approaching the officer in an aggressive manner. After refusing to obey the officer’s orders to get on the ground, the officer targeted the suspect and produced a warning arc with his CEW, which gained immediate compliance. There were no injuries to anyone involved.
On Jan. 24, an officer located a subject who was possibly in violation of a peace order that was just served on him. After refusing to obey the officer’s orders to get on the ground, the officer targeted the suspect and produced a warning arc with his CEW, which gained immediate compliance. There were no injuries to anyone involved.