Page 10 The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch August 23, 2013 WEST OC’S ORIGINAL HOME OF THE RAVENS world famous WEST ✝5¤✣✲✷¤✖5✤✧✺ ☛✲¤✗✲✰5 ☛✘✞✝❚❚❋ Police Chief’s Down Crime Report Renews Officials’ Safety Debate By JOANNE SHRINER STAFF WRITER RAVENS VS. RAMS JOIN US FOR WEST OC’S FAVORITE HAPPY HOUR MONDAY-FRIDAY, 4-7 P.M. $2 Domestic Bottles & Drafts $2.25 Rail Drinks, $5 Wing Basket, $5 Slider Basket, Half-Price Shrimp THURSDAY, 8 P.M. On Our 54 TVs In HD Stereo Sound What They Said ... “… I don’t think hard crime statistics really tell the whole story … I see changes living downtown. I live them. If you want to see how things are, walk from 17th Street to the Inlet at 2 o’clock in the morning. It would open your eyes.” COUNCILMAN BRENT ASHLEY $2 NATTY LIGHTS •We Have MLB Package Too• Drink Specials SUNDAY, 9 P.M. In The Biz Night, 15% Off Drink Check Perfect Place For Fantasy Football Draft Parties! Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes, Sizzling Steaks, Burgers, Homemade Shrimp Salad, Wings & Much More! MONDAY, 9 P.M. $2.50 Bud Light Drafts $4 Wild Turkey Honey TUESDAY, 9 P.M. 16 oz. Tall Boys $2.50 • $4 Jager WEDNESDAY, 9 P.M. $2.50 Yuengling • $4 Tuaca THURSDAY, 9 P.M. $2.50 Miller Lite Drafts • $5 Bombs WITH ENTERTAINMENT FRIDAY: DJ WOOD SATURDAY: HOT SAUCE SANDWICH THURSDAY: DJ BIGLER FIREBALL FRIDAY DJ Wood, 9 p.m. $4 Fireball Shots $3.75 Angry Orchard KIDS’ MENU • CARRY-OUT • APPAREL SHOP • GAME ROOM • KENO • FUN FOR EVERYONE ROUTE 611• WEST OCEAN CITY • 410-213-1500 www.greeneturtle.com Satisfaction And Quality Service ✖✚5¤x✚5❘✧❙ ✗¤✘❜¤✗✡✆ ✎✔✗❜✠✘✟✡✌ Hairstylist Pam Gamble is offering a pedicure and manicure for $50. Receive a FREE eyebrow wax with this service ($10 value). STOP BY AND SEE US! WALK-INS WELCOME! 10226 Old Ocean City Blvd. Berlin, Md. 21811 410-641-1226 Linda Zinkhan And Tammie Anders, Pam Gamble And Lisa Johnson OCEAN CITY – It wouldn’t be a normal week at City Hall without the Mayor and Council engaging in a spirited debate over the correlation between crime statistics and population estimations. On Monday evening, Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) Chief Ross Buzzuro was invited to come before the full Mayor and Council to present decreasing percentages in crime statistics compared to prior years. The number of crime-related incidents on the Boardwalk in the month of July this year has not been released, but comparing the month of June there were 212 incidents in 2010, 248 incidents in 2011, 193 incidents in 2012 and 213 incidents in 2013. The count for each year includes incidents of burglaries, theft, drug violations, disorderly conduct, vandalism, aggravated assault, simple assault, sex offense, weapon violations, robbery, and liquor law violations. “The analysis showed most of these incidents is on a downward trend,” Buzzuro said. Councilman Brent Ashley has argued the ongoing decrease in crime felt this summer should be associated with the decrease in Ocean City’s population during the summer. “I have said this before, if we have less population we are going to have less crime … I think a comparison with population would be helpful as well with crime statistics,” he said. Ashley added the categories of crime analyzed do not include incidents of harassment or intimidation, although those are immeasurable occurrences on the Boardwalk. Ashley has gone public with his concerns about the Boardwalk on multiple occasions this summer. “A lot of things go unreported. I have seen harassment on the Boardwalk and people just walk away, they don’t report anything, so I don’t think hard crime statistics really tell the whole story,” he said. Councilwoman Margaret Pillas agreed with Ashley but is looking forward to a positive change in the future as she referred to the plan of action Mayor Rick Meehan announced a few weeks ago that will address an unusual outburst of high-profile crimes that took place in June and July in Ocean City, including a bank robbery, a beach brawl and a Boardwalk gang-related stabbing as well as a tragic hit-and run involving a child, a double shooting and several off-Boardwalk stabbings. According to the mayor, Buzzuro and the OCPD are crafting a plan involving an increase in intelligence, surveillance and technology throughout town, including installation of more cameras on the Boardwalk. Nonetheless, Pillas, who lives on a bayside street downtown, pressed “There was crime in some isolated incidents and what happened is they became big news because they are not typical of what happens in Ocean City. I also looked at the crime stats of other beach resorts and our numbers are far lower than theirs are. We are moving in the right direction.” MAYOR RICK MEEHAN “I have lived here a long time and I don’t need numbers to tell me I am not comfortable living downtown as I have been in the past … we have all lived here a long time and things have changed.” COUNCILWOMAN MARGARET PILLAS “We have a good safe town and these numbers show it … and I think we need to push forward.” COUNCIL PRESIDENT LLOYD MARTIN her belief the resort has changed for the negative. “I have lived here a long time and I don’t need numbers to tell me I am not comfortable living downtown as I have been in the past … we have all lived here a long time and things have changed,” Pillas said. Ashley said in the 40 years he has lived here this is the first summer he is afraid to go to the Boardwalk. “I see changes living downtown. I live them. If you want to see how things are, walk from 17th Street to the Inlet at 2 o’clock in the morning. It would open your eyes,” he said. Council President Lloyd Martin pointed out despite a lower estimation of population in Ocean City, crime stats for the town as a whole reflected citizen initiated calls for service to OCPD decreased by 8.1 percent in July. “We have a good safe town and these numbers show it … and I think we need to push forward,” Martin said. SEE NEXT PAGE