OCEAN CITY – The Ocean City Police Department released October’s crime statistics this week, reflecting the typical downward trend during the fall season.
According to the report, October’s total calls for service, including traffic stops, business checks and assistance to citizens, came to 5,442, which is a 1.9-percent decrease from October 2013 when there were 5,550 calls for service. Out of that total, 4,438 were officer initiated, which is a 2.4-percent decrease from October 2013, and 1,004 were citizen initiated, which is no change from last October.
The total number of calls for service, excluding traffic stops, business checks and assisting citizens, totaled 2,685, which is a 10.1-percent increase from October 2013 when there were 2,438 calls for service. Out of the total, 1,747 were officer initiated, which is a 17.1-percent increase from October 2013, and 938 were citizen initiated, which is a .8-percent decrease from October 2013.
Out of the top 25 calls for service the majority of the categories decreased starting with assist to citizen with 169 calls in October this year compared to 204 last year; 911 hang up calls decreased to 149 from 151 last year; disorderly conduct decreased to 97 from 103 last year; assist to motorists decreased to 67 from 109 last year; collisions decreased to 41 from 44 last year; domestic assault/dispute decreased to 33 from 41 last year; assist to the Fire Company decreased to 39 from 58 last year; DWI investigate and/or arrest decreased to 25 from 33 last year; trespassing decreased to 19 from 26 last year; CDS violations decreased to 16 from 32 last year; noise complaints or violations decreased to 15 from 18 last year; civil dispute decreased to 13 from 20 last year; breaking and entering decreased to six from nine last year; and tow impound by police decreased to 2 from 5 last year.
The categories that increased in the month of October start with suspicious person or activity increasing to 156 calls compared to 132 last year; assist to OC EMS increased to 99 from 75 last year; warrant attempt or arrest increased to 55 from 50 last year; theft already occurred increased to 50 from 41 last year; city ordinance violations increased to 33 from 24 last year; parking complaints/violations increased to 32 from 19 last year; assault already occurred increased to 21 from 12 last year; malicious destruction of property increased to 20 from 15 last year; alcohol violations increased to 12 from 10 last year; and report of a fight increased to four from three last year.
The category of sex offense and indecent exposure remained the same with three calls for service in both October of 2013 and 2014.
There were 136 arrests made in October and two criminal citations issued. There were 18 drug arrests made but no drug citations. There were 28 DUI arrests made and three weapon arrests, according to OCPD data.
Ten months into the year, a weekly breakdown reflects a 1.3-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; 21 forcible rapes in 2013 compared to 24 this year; 18 robberies in 2013 compared to 18 this year; 40 aggravated assaults in 2013 compared to 57 this year; 215 burglaries in 2013 compared to 279 this year; 953 larcenies in 2013 compared to 887 this year; 29 auto thefts in 2013 compared to 36 this year; and there was one case of arson in both 2013 and 2014 after 10 months.
There have been 689 common assaults so far this year compared to 745 this time last year and 61 minor sex offenses so far this year compared to 56 last year, resulting in an overall total of 2,053 crimes at the end of October this year compared to 2,079 at the end of October in 2013.
For comparison, the daily average population estimates in Ocean City in October produced by Demoflush was 102,841 this year compared to 104,256 last October, which is a 1.3-percent decrease.
There were four incidents in October when a Taser was involved. Two out of the four resulted in deployment.
On Oct. 7, an officer observed a male subject vomiting in a city trash can next to a bus stop. When the officer approached the subject, who was highly intoxicated, the subject was uncooperative with the officer and refused to identify himself. At one point, the subject approached the officer in an aggressive manner. The officer targeted the suspect with his CEW, but the suspect continued to approach the officer in an aggressive manner. The officer subsequently deployed his CEW into the suspect’s back, which gained full compliance. The suspect sustained a laceration to his lip. The officer was not injured.
On Oct. 19, an officer observed a suspicous vehicle in the overflow lot of a restaurant, which was closed at the time. Further observations revealed that a male and female appeared to be engaging in sexual intercourse inside the vehicle. After being ordered to exit the vehicle, the male exited completley naked and refused to cooperate. When an officer went to place the suspect under arrest for indecent exposure, the suspect began to physically resist, which is when the officer targeted the suspect with his CEW and told the suspect to stop resisting. The suspect continued to resist, which is when the officer deployed his CEW into the suspects back, which gained full complaince. Suboxone was seized from the suspect.