Ocean City Community Joins Police For “Coffee With Cops”

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Craig and Marie Stuart, of Ocean City, speak with Officers Austin Ogule, left, and Mike Gray.

By MADDY VITALE Ocean City police officers and residents enjoyed a day of “Coffee With Cops” on Saturday, when they chatted about topics ranging from e-bikes to becoming a part of the Citizens’ Police Academy. Residents and officers filled the atrium of the Ocean City Free Public Library in the Community Center where they sipped coffee and ate bagels. Some members of the public got to meet the officers for the first time, while others chatted with members of the department that they have known for years. Friends Beth Pasternak, Marian Mulligan and Noreen Spraga, all of Ocean City, and Robin Peterson, of Somers Point, sat at a table and nibbled on the snacks and sipped coffee. “I don’t think I’ve missed one,” Pasternak, a longtime resident of the resort, said of Coffee With Cops. “It’s an event that I always carve out time for. The police do such a great job in the community, with their exposure to schools and to the community and it is something that I think we should support.”

Officers and residents chat and sip coffee. (Photo courtesy of the Ocean City Police Department) Each year Coffee With Cops gives residents an opportunity to ask officers questions, express their feelings and concerns to members of the department’s Community Policing Unit, along with a few other officers who participate. Officers Jack Davis, Mike Gray and Kayla Ricci, all from the Community Policing Unit, and Officers Brandon Smith and Austin Ogule spoke with residents about a host of topics. The top concern for residents were speeding e-bikes, especially on the Boardwalk in the area from 14th to 23rd Streets where the Boardwalk narrows. Over the past two years there have been more and more of the electronic bikes on the Boardwalk and on the roads throughout the island.

August Daquila, of Ocean City, and Officer Mike Gray enjoy conversation. Officers have continued to give out warnings to riders who are not wearing their helmets on both bicycles and motorized bikes. The officers have also given out warnings on the Boardwalk for speeding riders of e-bikes, especially on busy days. Another major topic of the day had less to do with concerns and more to do with an interest by the community to get more involved. Some residents brought their applications for the city’s Citizens’ Police Academy. The free academy offers residents the opportunity to learn about the internal operations of the Ocean City Police Department in classes every Thursday from Feb. 29 through May 2.

Resident David Lukoff and Officer Austin Ogule chat. Officer Ricci who handles the academy, said residents were eager to learn more about the academy. “We received eight applications today. They wanted to know what we do at the citizens’ academy and what it involves,” she said, noting that the response from the community for the academy has been wonderful. Ricci continued, “They will learn about our operations and our organizational structure. You get to hear from professionals in each field, whether it be K-9s or detectives, or the traffic safety unit. We even do ride-alongs and we have a trip to the Cape May County Police Academy.” Craig and Marie Stuart, of Ocean City, had one goal in mind when they attended Saturday’s event. “We came to meet the police. We love living here in Ocean City,” Craig Stuart said. “We think it’s a great town. We made the best decision in our life retiring down here, so we’re very happy with the community and the police do an outstanding job.”

Craig and Marie Stuart, of Ocean City, speak with Officers Austin Ogule, left, and Mike Gray. The Ocean City Free Public Library co-sponsored the event for a second year in a row and the newly reopened Community Center Cafe provided the coffee and bagels free of cost. Officer Davis called the event “awesome.” “It was a great turnout. The citizens who came by were overwhelmingly positive and most came by to thank us for our service and say hello,” he said. “I heard many stories from citizens who just wanted to share positive interactions they had with the officers in our department throughout the past year. It made me proud to be an Ocean City police officer hearing such great things about my co-workers.” He also credited Library Director Karen Mahar for dong an “incredible job” hosting the police and called it the busiest venue for Coffee With Cops that the police have during the year. Mahar said that like the other people in the community, she always liked Coffee With Cops and is happy to co-sponsor it. “People like this atmosphere. They come in. They relax and chill and they could have a big cup of coffee. It is a very positive event.”