Every year, police departments across Maryland track how they respond to calls from the public. They then report on their activity in the interest of transparency. According to the Ocean City Police Department’s crime report for 2022, the number of calls for police assistance is decreasing. 2022 saw 65,699 calls, which the department reported was down noticeably since 2018.
The department indicated that its proactive approach to public safety utilizes the presence of many officers out on the street, ready to interact with the public when they need assistance. In other words, even if rate of calls for police assistance has dropped, the presence of police officers is up. There is also evidence to suggest that this presence will soon be increasing.
Warmer weather means more outdoor activity
Maryland sees an influx of tourists in the warmest part of the year and may also see increased socialization among existing residents in the state. More people out in public means a greater risk of car crashes, personal accidents and criminal activity.
Police departments around the state will likely have more officers out patrolling in high-traffic areas throughout the summer. There may be some targeted enforcement efforts planned around high-risk locations for certain kinds of crime and personal risk, such as drunk driving enforcement efforts around holiday weekends. In some cases, the desire by police officers to be proactive and to preserve both declining calls for support and high solve rates might lead to inappropriate behavior by officers that violate people’s rights or the arrest of the wrong individual after an incident.
Officers looking for misconduct often find exactly that
It is easy for someone who only sees a portion of an encounter to make assumptions about someone’s behavior or intentions. Police officers may arrest people without listening to their explanation for bad driving behavior or what happened before an altercation turned physical.
Therefore, that eager attitude toward policing can potentially lead to unnecessary arrests. Anyone who is facing charges when they believe they did not technically violate state law may benefit from learning more about current police practices if they hope to fight back. Responding to criminal charges with the help of a criminal defense attorney is generally the best way to prevent a misunderstanding or mistake from permanently altering someone’s future.
