Ocean City, Md. – The Ocean City Police Department is reporting a nearly uneventful College Beach Weekend event and is thanking residents, visitors, and business owners for their support and cooperation in a true community effort to keep Ocean City safe this past weekend.
As citizens may have noticed, there was a heightened police presence this past weekend, particularly on the boardwalk. OCPD officers were assisted by the Maryland State Police (MSP) and Worcester County Sheriff’s Office as a precautionary measure to ensure that police were prepared for any isolated incidents that may have occurred. From Thursday, July 20, through Sunday, July 23, officers responded to a total of over 3,000 calls for service, 81 percent of which were initiated by officers. This reveals that citizens made very few calls to police throughout the weekend.
The success of the weekend can be attributed in large part to the business community and property owners. Business owners were quick to address large crowds or unruly behavior on their property helping police stay ahead of potential issues. Condominium owners that had large parties form in their units also acted fast to evict problem tenants. “We would not have seen such success this weekend without the help of the business community and property owners,” commented Chief Ross Buzzuro. “Many were able to address potential issues without police assistance allowing our officers to concentrate on the boardwalk and other public spaces in town.”
Many hotel and restaurant owners also assisted in the effort by providing lodging and meals to visiting MSP troopers. Their hospitality allows MSP to send more assistance without the added cost of hotels rooms and meals. The OCPD greatly appreciates the efforts of the Ocean City Hotel Motel Restaurant Association for coordinating this effort.
“The visitors that came to Ocean City for College Beach Weekend were very respectful to the town and of our laws and ordinances,” continued Chief Buzzuro.
Officials said that the promoters of the event, however, misled several businesses in an attempt to hold private parties, all of which canceled the agreement when the business owners discovered events being promoted at their property. Authorities said that ticket holders for College Beach Weekend were also misled by the College Beach Weekend promoters, as many of the planned events did not have confirmed locations or never materialized at all.
Source: Ocean City Police