OCEAN CITY — After nearly three decades with the Ocean City Police Department in various capacities, OCPD Lieutenant Todd Wood was feted with a special retirement ceremony on Tuesday at City Hall.
Wood will officially retire on Saturday, but he was honored with a special ceremony during Tuesday’s Mayor and Council work session attended by family and several of his colleagues in the department including Chief Ross Buzzuro and the command staff. Wood began his career with the OCPD as a police cadet in 1989 and then worked as a police communications operator before being hired as a full-time officer in 1992.
Over the next 28 years, Wood quickly accelerated up the OCPD’s promotion ladder. He was promoted to Police Officer-First Class in 1996, sergeant in 2004 and lieutenant in 2012. On Tuesday, Mayor Rick Meehan read a lengthy proclamation into the record and Buzzuro praised Todd for his decades of service to the department.
“Congratulations on 28 years,” he said. “That’s almost three decades. Todd spent the majority of his career in the field. He came on in the late 1980s and has seen a lot of change in the department. He has spent his career dealing with people at their worst and at their best every day. He has helped so many people in their darkest days.”
Wood has been assigned to several divisions and specialty units within the department, including the patrol division, traffic safety unit, criminal investigation division and special projects and events. In his final position with OCPD, he has served as the Services Management Commander responsible for managing the fleet, maintenance of the entire Public Safety Building, and the arrest and detention Section. Buzzuro praised Wood for his work especially in managing the department’s extensive headquarters in the Public Safety Building.
“He oversaw the Public Safety Building and that is a lot of responsibility with so many working parts,” he said. “For me, with having him working in that capacity, I always knew everything was in order. He always went above and beyond everything that was asked of him.”
Wood also serves as an instructor at the Eastern Shore Criminal Justice Academy where he is the primary instructor in Emergency Vehicle Operations and Traffic Stops.
Throughout his career, Wood has received training in a myriad of topics including traffic safety enforcement, breath test operation, advanced accident investigations, crash reconstruction, homicide investigations, interview and interrogation and police pursuits. Wood also has an Associate’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. In addition, he attended the Eastern Shore Criminal Justice Academy and Northwestern University Center for Public Safety School of Police Staff and Command.
Wood has earned several awards during his career, including being named Neighborhood Watch Officer of the Year in 1999. He has also earned awards from Mothers Against Drunk Driving and the Worcester County Alcohol and Drug Task Force. He has also earned several departmental commendations to include seven Unit Citations, three Meritorious Service Awards, seven Excellent Performance Awards, and four Special Commendation Awards.
“In the five years I have worked with Lieutenant Wood, he has proven time and time again that he is a pivotal member of our command staff and our agency as a whole,” said Buzzuro. “His professionalism, enthusiasm and dedication in the performance of his duties cannot be understated. The town of Ocean City has benefitted greatly from his 28 years of service to the community.”
Upon his retirement, Wood plans to travel throughout the country before returning to the OCPD as a reserve officer in 2018.
