Resort Police Lieutenant Retires After 25 Years

Resort Police Lieutenant Retires After 25 Years
Lt. Greg DeGiovanni, left, is pictured with Ocean City Police Chief Ross Buzzuro. Submitted Photo

OCEAN CITY – The experience drain at the top of the Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) continued last week with the retirement of a longtime lieutenant after two-plus decades, but the department’s ranks are deep and there are able replacements ready to step into the breach.

OCPD Lieutenant Greg DeGiovanni retired from the department on October 31 after serving for 25 years in the resort.

DeGiovanni’s retirement continues a recent trend of long-tenured OCPD command staff retirements, opening the door for qualified officers to move up the ranks.

Before joining the OCPD as a full-time officer in 2000, DeGiovanni served with the U.S. Army from 1986 to 1989, and then the U.S. Army Reserves from 1990 to 2001. He earned a bachelor’s degree in justice studies from Frostburg State University and graduated from the Eastern Shore Criminal Justice Academy in 1997 before joining the Cumberland Police Department.

DeGiovanni joined the OCPD in 2000 and worked his way through the ranks to reach the position of lieutenant in 2018.

He was assigned to the department’s patrol division as the day shift watch commander. In addition to overseeing the day shift patrol officers, DeGiovanni was in charge of the traffic safety unit, the Field Training Officer Program, the noise unit, animal control and the Trespass Enforcement Authorization Program, or TEAP.

DeGiovanni continued with a tremendous amount of training throughout his career with the OCPD.

Most notably, in 2018 he graduated from the 274th session of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) National Academy, an elite law enforcement leadership academy. DeGiovanni has also helped train his colleagues over the years as a firearms, defensive tactics and active shooter instructor.

Ocean City Police Chief Ross Buzzuro said DeGiovanni would be sorely missed in the department.

“In the nine years that I have worked with Lieutenant DeGiovanni, he has proven time and time again that he is a pivotal member of our command staff and our agency as a whole,” he said. “The community and the Town of Ocean City have greatly benefited from his dedication and professionalism.”

Buzzuro continued, “We thank him for his service and wish him the very best in all future endeavors.”

In retirement, DeGiovanni will continue working within the law enforcement profession as a civilian with the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office.

He said he is looking forward to spending more time with his wife, children, parents and siblings, while also enjoying a few hobbies such as hunting, fishing and golfing on a regular basis.

“Thank you for all of the years of support and appreciation,” he said. “Prayers moving forward in the challenging times. As the town grows, so do the challenges to all city departments.”

He continued, “The employees, administrators and politicians that I have had the pleasure of working with and for will certainly meet those challenges and continue to keep Ocean City one of the safest places to live and work.”

About The Author: Shawn Soper

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Shawn Soper has been with The Dispatch since 2000. He began as a staff writer covering various local government beats and general stories. His current positions include managing editor and sports editor. Growing up in Baltimore before moving to Ocean City full time three decades ago, Soper graduated from Loch Raven High School in 1981 and from Towson University in 1985 with degrees in mass communications with a journalism concentration and history.