Page 42 The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch September 20, 2013 The Dispatch Forever In Memory Of Our Founder, Dick Lohmeyer (May 25, 1927-May 5, 2005) The Dispatch, Serving Greater Ocean City Since 1984, Is Published By Maryland Coast Dispatch Inc. Weekly On Friday Mornings MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. Box 467 Berlin, Md. 21811 PHYSICAL ADDRESS: 10012 Old Ocean City Blvd. Berlin, Md. 21811 PHONE: 410-641-4561 FAX: 410-641-0966 WEBSITES: www.mdcoastdispatch.com www.facebook.com/thedispatchoc J. STEVEN GREEN Publisher/Editor editor@mdcoastdispatch.com HOW WE SEE IT New Public Safety Programs Need Promoting After what took place in the resort over the last four months, the Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) is doing exactly what it needs to do as a reaction to this summer. While there is much debate over the calls for service figures being reported and whether they indicate crime is truly down in Ocean City or not, the fact is perception is reality in today’s world. When people read the stories about calls for service being down or slightly higher and arrests for certain crimes being down while others are not, we believe the readers are highly skeptical. Many simply do not believe the reports that crime is down based off the high-profile and disturbing incidents that took place this summer on the crime front. Stabbings, shootings, robberies, beach brawls and burglaries made headlines through the summer, and that’s what most of us will remember, rather than officer-initiated calls for service increasing and citizenreported calls falling. That’s why no matter what the police data indicates the OCPD and the town needed to have a strong reaction, whether officials believe there is a crime problem or not. It seems inevitable there will be more cameras on the Boardwalk next summer to help OCPD monitor problem areas and regularly catch criminals in the act. There are still lots of questions about that proposal, namely how much it will cost and how it will be paid for in the short term. Public safety and homeland security grants are surely options, but the funds to secure the cameras and install the systems will need to come from the city first with reimbursement possible down the line. With research still being conducted on that, the OCPD released a brief presser this week indicating a special enforcement unit has been created. The release indicated, “Beginning this month, the Special Enforcement Unit will be patrolling throughout Ocean City. The Special Enforcement Unit will be a proactive criminal investigative unit which will focus on working closely with the community to identify problems and solve crime. Officers assigned to this unit will primarily be working in a plain clothes capacity much like the department’s Narcotics Unit.” Chief Ross Buzzuro said, “The new Special Enforcement Unit will act as a stepping stone between our Patrol Division and our Criminal Investigation Division. The Unit will look very closely at growing crime trends in various areas of Ocean City and serve as proactive crime fighters.” That sounds like a sound concept and wise crime-fighting tool, but a major component of this new unit and its goal needs to be an understanding that the media outside the area has to be alerted and that visitors and second-home owners must be informed in a high-profile manner. When major crime incidents happen here, they make news throughout the mid-Atlantic. That was on display for all to see throughout the summer. In fact, one metropolitan media outlet did a front-page feature on the droopy pants proposal and recent crimes in Ocean City, while burying inside two homicides that occurred on the same night in the DC suburbs. The city’s reactionary move(s) to this summer’s negative incident must garner a similar sort of attention, and the city has the resources and abilities to get this word out. It’s important that vacationers and second-home owners be alerted to what’s going on here in the off-season months as well as the summer months. NEWS DEPARTMENT SHAWN J. SOPER News Editor Sports Editor ssoper@mdcoastdispatch.com JOANNE SHRINER Staff Writer joanne@mdcoastdispatch.com TRAVIS BROWN Staff Writer travis@mdcoastdispatch.com SALES DEPARTMENT TERRI FRENCH Account Executive Entertainment Editor terri@mdcoastdispatch.com LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Brown Box Theatre Production Enjoyed Editor: I wanted to compliment everyone involved with bringing the Brown Box Theatre's production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" to Northside Park last Saturday. We went not sure what to expect and our expectations were lowered when we saw the portable stage and informal setting. But we ended up having a delightful evening, the most fun I've ever had at a Shakespeare play. The young cast was first rate, in particular at drawing the full slapstick out of a very funny play. They used the stage in a very clever way. The audience seemed entranced, from the 6-year-old giggling next to me (we fed each other's giggles) to the approving grandparents scattered around the lawn. I salute the Brown Box Theatre's philosophy of bringing quality drama to the people, in small towns and not just great cities. And kudos to the businesses, foundations and art councils as well as the town of Ocean City that made this memorable night possible. Terry Grogan Ocean City end of the program year. As a service organization of our community, Kiwanis strives to make a difference in that community. The new year for Kiwanis begins Oct. 1, 2013 through Sept.. 30, 2014. Again this last year, 2012-2013, the club has contributed significantly to “Serving the Children of our Community.” Beginning with the $1,200 Priority One contribution to Worcester Gold’s Baby Pantry and ending with the $13,500 in scholarships to Stephen Decatur high school seniors heading off to college, the club has served our children well. Support for the schools and the Kiwanis Youth Service clubs within the schools amounted to $6,850. Additionally, the club contributed another $3,300 to community based youth programs, i.e. CASA, Cedar Chapel School, Ocean Pines camp, Ocean City summer camp, the Cub Scouts, OP Children’s Theater, and the McGuffey Reading Program. Perhaps more important than money, the club donated hundreds of volunteer hours to school art fairs, science fairs, It’s Academic, direct assistance to our sponsored school Kiwanis youth service clubs and our sponsored Cub Scouts. The Kiwanis Club has also played a supporting role in the community, contributing $2,900 to Community Support organizations: the OPVFD, the OPA Concerts in the Park, Worcester County Interfaith Caregivers, Diakonia, Worcester Gold Holiday Families, Coastal Hospice, and the Appalachian Service Project; plus hundreds of volunteer hours towards Nursing Home bingo, dolls for patients, the Blood Drives, the senior chores program, our house number signs that assist our first responders on emergency calls day and night. So, how does all this get done? Through members’ volunteer hours and hard work on all of the fundraisers. All of this is paid for by the members’ work on pancake breakfasts, hot dog sales, German/Italian dinners, Boardwalk raffles, annual Duck Race, the Fruit Sales, and the weekly donations from our members to Priority One. Of course, it’s not all hard work; there is the satisfaction of working together to get these results. So here comes 2013-2014. The Kiwanis Club is committed to doing this again. But in addition to Kiwanis members, we need friends and neighbors to support, participate and/or join the Kiwanis team and help the club continue these services for the 2013-2014 program year. Again, we thank our community for its continued support. Barbara Peletier (The writer is the president of the Kiwanis Club of Greater Ocean PinesOcean City.) JEANETTE DESKIEWICZ Account Executive jeanette@mdcoastdispatch.com MANETTE CRAMER Account Executive manette@mdcoastdispatch.com ART DEPARTMENT CINDY WARD Art Director art@mdcoastdispatch.com JENNIFER T. O’BRIEN Graphic Artist COLE GIBSON Graphic Artist Webmaster BUSINESS OFFICE PAMELA GREEN Bookkeeper Classifieds Manager classifieds@mdcoastdispatch.com The Maryland Coast Dispatch (USPS #015125) is an official and legal newspaper for Worcester County. Periodical postage paid at Berlin, Maryland, and additional mailing offices.. The Maryland Coast Dispatch, 10012 Old Ocean City Blvd., Berlin, Md. 21811, is published weekly on Friday mornings, 52 weeks a year. Subscription rates are $75 per year, $55 for six months. POSTMASTER: Please send change of address to Maryland Coast Dispatch, P.O. Box 467, Berlin, Maryland 21811. Maryland Coast Dispatch offices are located at Route 346 and Graham Avenue, Berlin, Maryland. Club Contributions Due To Volunteer Members Editor: The Ocean Pines-Ocean City Kiwanis Club is fast approaching the Support Appreciated Editor: On behalf of the Ocean City Development Corporation we would SEE NEXT PAGE