OCEAN CITY – A discussion on weapons arrests highlighted a report on police activity for the month of September.
On Wednesday, Police Chief Ross Buzzuro presented members of the Ocean City Police Commission with an update on police activity for the month of September. He noted that officer calls for service decreased from 2,072 last September to 1,603 this September, while citizen calls for service decreased from 1,588 to 1,558.
“All in all, in terms of calls for service, it was a very good month,” he said.
In the top 25 calls for service, traffic stops increased from 883 to 928, citizen assists decreased from 355 to 335 and disorderly calls decreased from 185 to 158.
While 911 hangups increased from 308 last September 2022 to 348 this September, commission members noted it was an improvement over the number of hangups reported this summer.
“It’s still up though,” City Manager Terry McGean added.
Buzzuro this week also shared enforcement data for the month of September. Custodial arrests decreased from 193 to 148, drug arrests decreased from 17 to eight and marijuana arrests decreased from 17 to zero.
He added that weapons arrests decreased from 25 to eight. The department reported the number of confiscated firearms decreased from seven to one, while confiscated knives decreased from 13 to four and other confiscated weapons decreased from 15 to five.
“The bright spot we see is that weapons arrests are down,” he said. “That was a significant decrease, about 75%.”
Mayor Rick Meehan questioned the decrease in weapons arrests. While he said it was good that arrests were down, he questioned if new cannabis laws had impacted the number of weapons being confiscated.
“I just think it’s relevant that the law change has made a significant impact on our abilities to confiscate guns,” he said.
Buzzuro said he understood the commission’s concerns, but noted that the decrease in weapons arrests was a good thing. He noted that while weapons arrests had decreased, the number of reported violent crimes had not increased.
“We’re not seeing the follow through with any violence with the guns we’re not getting off the street,” he said.
Commission members on Wednesday also received an update on last weekend’s Endless Summer Cruisin event. Buzzuro said the department reported only having a few exhibition drivers.
“There weren’t many issues,” he said.
Meehan said he had received a few comments about the number of vehicles in north-end neighborhoods. Buzzuro agreed there was more activity, particularly on 120th Street.
“We actually redirected traffic so they couldn’t make those loops and turns further up the road,” he replied.
