Two months after viral videos showed police violence against a group of Black teens on the Ocean City boardwalk, a panel of state and local lawmakers at the Maryland Association of Counties (MACo) Summer Conference in the beach town said they want accountability for the incident, as well as reforms.
In June, the Ocean City Police Department was at the center of national controversy when officers subdued and tased a group of Black teens after one of them was seen vaping on the boardwalk.
Asked who in the room had seen the viral video of the incident, about three-quarters of attendees raised their hands.
Prince George’s County Councilmember Mel Franklin (D), who organized the discussion at the MACo Large County Coalition’s annual breakfast meeting, said he invited Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan, Ocean City Police Chief Ross Buzzuro and members of the city council to join the conversation. None were present at the breakfast.
“At some point, when do we say, enough is enough?” Del. Darryl Barnes (D-Prince George’s) asked at the meeting.
According to the Mapping Police Violence database, 159 people have died at the hands of Maryland police officers from 2013 and 2021 — including 15 people this year.
The reps from Prince Georges and other counties need to worry about their own back yards. How about looking at your stats with your actions…or reactions to county matters. Your crime stats year in and year out SUCKS and you call out OC when your county residents misbehave?
Need to check yourselves. How do you that? Look in the mirror….and stay on your side of the bridge too!
If they actually knew of what led to the incidents, there would be no “discussion” of what the police did… they would be asking why these “poor innocent kids” are acting like idiots… there is no decency in kids these days.. they are taught they are entitled to act anyway they want. Civilized society can’t last when people act like animals.
Accountability for what? Keep your peeps in order and there won’t be a problem.
Not tithe police fault the perps were black. No matter the color If you do the crime don’t complain about the consequences. Good job OCPD. Keep up the good work
People need to just stay away if they don’t want to follow the rules!
Remove OC Police Chief Ross Buzzuro and OC Mayor Rick Meehan ! Problems solved!
..None were present at the breakfast…
…um, maybe they didn’t attend the breakfast because this was a non issue. The video that made its rounds on the internet was taken completely out of context and was done so to victimize the police.
The politicians from these counties are doing nothing more but chasing fame and race bating. Good for the Mayor, Chief, and the Council for not letting oxygen into that room.
Many people support the action of the police.
Couple of comments:
Whether the chief or mayor actually received the invites isn’t clear. Even so, it was clearly a set-up by officials from locations with ongoing, serious crime problems to play to the camera.
Several of the perps have filed suit against OC so OC counsel may have advised them against addressing the issue generally or specifically in public.
We’re all up against the absolute fact that a very high percent of unruly behavior, assaults and murders are committed by young males from a specific minority group. They’ve been raised, so to speak, to do as they please. Their elders have been unsuccessful or unmotivated in setting boundaries and consequences. And here we are.
This line is /sarc. Perhaps the meeting organizers are upset about all the OC natives flooding their towns and misbehaving. Yep, that’s got to be the reason they’re upset. /sarc.
Look enforcement of stupid laws does not work out.. neither does disrespect for law officers..however.
Just like the stupid unscienetific mask mandates enforcing outdoor smoking bans is WRONG! if there was no such ban there would not have been an issue..all over a SMOKING BAN NOT BASED ON SCIENCE! Especiall with vapes that hurt NO ONE except the user…
Look enforcement of stupid laws does not work out.. neither does disrespect for law officers..however.
Just like the stupid unscienetific mask mandates enforcing outdoor smoking bans is WRONG! if there was no such ban there would not have been an issue..all over a SMOKING BAN NOT BASED ON SCIENCE! Especiall with vapes that hurt NO ONE except the user…
recind the outdoor smoking ban you idiots..enforce the litter laws..problem solved!!
Maybe the thugs needs to have some accountability.