OCEAN CITY — Resort officials this week appeared poised to sign off on the purchase of a new, ATV-style patrol vehicle for the Ocean City Police Department to deploy on the Boardwalk before doing an about-face and voting down the request over budget concerns.
Last week, the Police Commission voted to send a favorable recommendation to the full Mayor and Council on a request from the Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) to purchase a side-by-side mule-style all-terrain vehicle for the beach and Boardwalk. Akin to an ATV, the mule could carry as many as six officers and allow the OCPD to quickly deploy personnel to trouble spots and other areas where significant incidents break out, such as some of the violence and near-rioting seen on the Boardwalk during a challenging couple of weeks in June this year.
The mule could move officers quickly through crowds on the Boardwalk and be less cumbersome than bringing a regular police cruiser or SUV in during certain incidents. It could also be utilized on the beach, transporting personnel quickly to incidents when the Boardwalk is too crowded to easily traverse.
Last week, the police commission sent a favorable recommendation to the Mayor and Council on the purchase of the patrol vehicle with an estimated cost of around $20,000. The OCPD had budgeted $38,000 in the current fiscal year to purchase new sally port doors at the Public Safety Building, but realized around $14,000 in savings after choosing a lower-cost, non-insulated option. Buzzuro explained last week the remaining $5,000 for the $20,000 mule could be made up in other areas of the department’s operating budget.
However, it was noted any expenditure over $15,000 needs the approval of the full Mayor and Council, even it could be covered internally in a department’s budget. On Monday, the Mayor and Council appeared poised to approve the purchase with a motion made and seconded, but a series of questions, couched largely under budget considerations, resulted in a no vote for the request at this time. It could be revisited during budget time prior to next season.
Councilman Dennis Dare said the requested vehicle was over five feet wide and 11 feet long and questioned its effectiveness on a crowded Boardwalk.
“I know how easy the bike and the mounted units maneuver through the crowd,” he said. “They are also high above, so they can see what’s going on and the public can see them. I just don’t know if it would be effective.”
Councilman Mark Paddack said Dare’s concerns about the mule’s turning radius and mobility were unfounded and recommended approving the purchase.
“They can move personnel around quickly on the Boardwalk and even the beach if need be,” he said. “This can hold at least six people and get personnel to trouble spots more quickly. In light of what we saw in June, I’d like to have more people in the southern district.”
Dare said in light of the troublesome incidents on the Boardwalk in June, perhaps the funding proposed for the mule could be directed at other resources.
“I’d like to have more police officers on the Boardwalk, period,” he said. “The budget is taking a hit. We know room tax is down $1 million from this point last year, and we know we have a budget crisis coming. We need to watch every penny.”
Dare questioned whether was truly needed.
“I think it’s a nice thing to have, but what we really need is more police officers on the Boardwalk,” he said. “I’d like to wait and see what other measures we will have to take before we spend money on this.”
Council President Lloyd Martin said the ATV-style mule could be used on the Boardwalk or on the beach if necessary and said he supported the purchase.
“With the problems we had down there in June, this can move people around very fast on the Boardwalk and on the beach,” he said. “Anything we can do to help the department down there, we should do.”
Councilman John Gehrig said he agreed with Dare about the looming budget concerns despite the mule’s purchase being covered by the OCPD’s budget.
“There is a limited amount of money unless we raise taxes,” he said. “I know they can cover it in their budget, but it all comes out of the same bucket. Unless this is needed right now, maybe we can wait and consider it in an overall budget discussion.”
After considerable debate, Councilman Tony DeLuca, who made the original motion to approve the purchase, agreed with most of his colleagues.
“I’ll withdraw my motion,” he said. “I support this for most of the reasons given. They certainly need it for May, June and July. If it’s not needed right now, let’s wait and have it ready for next year.”
Paddack then made a motion to approve the purchase and Gehrig seconded it for the purpose of continued discussion, but that motion failed by a 1-6 vote with Paddack the lone yes vote.
“This is needed on the Boardwalk,” said Paddack. “We cannot predict the next time we’re going to have a crap show on the Boardwalk. It could be during the pop-up event, it could be Bike Week. Heck, it might even be Sunfest.”
