Police start recruitment for 2024

Custodial arrests were at 335 this July, while there were 352 last year and 456 in July 2021.

Police gave out 16 criminal citations in July, as compared to 22 last year and nine in 2021.

Officers performed 18 drug arrests last month, while two years earlier the number was in the mid-to-high 30s. Only one citation was issued for marijuana this July, compared to 79 last year.

Smoking citations also dropped to 45 from 277 last year. Some of the drop could be attributed to easily “camouflaged” electronic smoking devices, but some of the smoking citation drop must be attributed to a certain level of compliance, Buzzuro said.

DUI arrests jumped up to 50 in July, relative to 27 in that month in 2022 and 41 in 2021. Buzzuro said he believes some of the DUI increase could be related to marijuana use going up with the legalization of adult-use cannabis on July 1.

Weapons arrests were at 24 this year, which includes guns, knives and front passenger seat.

“other.” That total was just one more than experienced in July 2021, but 43 fewer than July 2022. There were 10 arrests this year for guns and knives, each.

Buzzuro said the new restrictions on vehicle searches this year that came alongside the legalization of marijuana, have led officers to search fewer people and vehicles. These searches would have revealed weapons violations in some instances, he said, thus affecting this July’s weapons numbers.

Legislation passed in concert with marijuana’s legalization prohibits police from searching people and vehicles based on the smell of cannabis and other cannabis related evidence alone. Other factors must come into play.

The commission also discussed seasonal recruitment for next summer.

So far, five people have applied for seasonal positions next year with the police department. Of those, Buzzuro said, one applicant failed, two conditional employment offer hires were made and two applicants are still in the hiring process.

As for full-time officers, the department has six in the Eastern Shore Criminal Justice Academy at WorWic Community College who graduate in mid-December, Ashley Miller, deputy communications manager for the OCPD, later reported.

There are also two job openings and police anticipate a third in January. Miller said they are hoping to put three new officers into the January academy to fill these spots.

Under the seat, police found a plastic bag containing a digital scale, a folded one dollar bill and meth.

Police also found a glass smoking tube, and a spoon with burn marks in the trunk.

DUI crash

Erin Elizabeth Burke, 55, of Salisbury, faces 12 charges, including DUI, reckless driving and failure to avoid a collision, according to a police report.

Police said Burke was the driver of a 2015 Ford Escape that caused an accident on Aug. 12, around 1:10 p.m. Three people were sent to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries, police said.

Burke allegedly drove through the red light at the 33rd Street intersection, failed to yield to several vehicles, and caused a multi-vehicle crash.

Three cars were towed and there was a large traffic back-up as a result, police said.

Police said Burke admitted to drinking vodka while on prescribed medica- tions.

Burke failed several sobriety tests, and allegedly admitted she should go to jail.

Police arrested her for DUI, and she later blew a .21 on an alcohol breath test.

Disorderly Conduct

Officers charged Jordan O’Neal Walls, 22, of Lucedale, Mississippi, with disorderly conduct after he allegedly punched objects and laid down in the street, according to a police report.

Police said they saw Walls punching and kicking signs and light poles on Wicomico Street on Aug. 12, around 10 p.m.

The security guard of a nearby bar reportedly approached Walls and asked him to calm down, but Walls allegedly turned toward him and assumed a fighting stance.

The officer learned that the bar the security guard worked for had asked Walls to leave before police arrived.

After Walls left, he was laying down in the street blocking cars, according to the report. When cars started honking at him, he would stand in front of them in a fighting stance.

Officers arrested Walls.

Arson threat

Devonne Jermaine Wedge, 21, of Bladensburg, received six charges from the OCPD, including disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and threatening arson, according to a police report.

On Aug. 13, around 1:30 a.m., police saw a man riding a bicycle on the Boardwalk and stopped him to give him a citation since people are not allowed to ride there from noon to 2 a.m.

Wedge had been walking with the cyclist and protested the detainment. Wedge reportedly walked up to police and they told him to stay back. An officer stuck out an arm to stop Wedge from getting closer and Wedge pushed it away, according to the report.

Another officer stepped in to keep Wedge away, and Wedge allegedly said he would beat them up. At that point, Wedge was arrested.

While Wedge was being taken to the transport car, he allegedly screamed at police, saying, “I’m going to burn that dude’s house down, kill his family, and punch the mustache off his face.”

Pushing down a lamp post

Officers charged Alper Muhammed Ozdemir, 22, of Holbrook, New York, with intoxicated endangerment and malicious destruction of property, according to a police report.

On Aug. 13, around 1:20 a.m., police went to an uptown bar in reference to a man vandalizing property.

On their arrival, officers saw the bar’s security guards surrounding Ozdemir in the parking lot. Security told police that Ozdemir damaged one of the bar’s lamp posts.

Police saw the lamp post bent over with one end in the bay.

Ozdemir told police the damage to the lamp was accidental. Police wrote that they saw security camera footage that showed Ozdemir shaking and pushing the lamp post until it fell into the water.