Mayor's Message: May 31

Dear Friends, I was joined by Police Chief Bill Campbell, County Commission Director Lenny Desiderio and State Assemblyman Antwan McClellan yesterday at a news conference to send a clear message to all of our residents and guests that Ocean City will always remain a family-friendly town. We also were joined by City Council President Pete Madden, Council Vice President Terry Crowley Jr., Councilman Tom Rotondi, Councilman Jody Levchuk, Councilman Dave Winslow, Councilman Tony Polcini, County Commissioner Bobby Barr, County Commissioner Melanie Collette, County Commissioner Andy Bulakowski and State Assemblyman Erik Simonsen. The incidents we experienced over Memorial Day Weekend were unacceptable. As mayor, I take full responsibility for what happens in Ocean City, and I take public safety very seriously. The officials who stood with me are unified and equally committed. Over the last few years, we have been extremely pro-active in addressing these issues. We implemented an 8 p.m. beach curfew and an 11 p.m. curfew for juveniles citywide. We also passed a backpack ban on the boardwalk. We have added full-time police officers and seasonal officers, and we now have one of the largest forces of seasonal officers in the state. Our Police Department was fully staffed, equipped and engaged for Memorial Day Weekend. These men and women brought 23 teens into the police station for fights, shoplifting and other infractions. They issued more than 1,300 warnings for alcohol, cannabis, curfew and other violations. Chief Campbell reported that 24 new seasonal officers will be completing their training next week, and that will allow us to dramatically increase our already-strong law enforcement on the Boardwalk and throughout the entire town. I was up on the Boardwalk both Saturday and Sunday night, and people were enjoying themselves and behaving themselves, just a short time after some of the incidents occurred. That’s a testament to the good work of our police officers. The images shared on social media are dreadful, but they paint a picture of a scene that quickly disappeared when our officers removed these individuals from the Boardwalk. The teens involved in these fights were known to each other and came to Ocean City with the intent of causing harm to each other. That behavior will not be tolerated, and our police department is fully prepared to address it. Everybody who loves Ocean City can rest assured that this summer will be a great one. Michele and I would like to extend deepest condolences to the family, friends and clients of Ron Pennington, who passed away on Sunday. Ron was an Ocean City High School grad and long-time owner of the former Still Waters Stress Center in town. I know he was beloved and will be missed by all. Warm regards, Mayor Jay A. Gillian