Radio. [8] However, throughout the 1980s and into the 1990s, the width of the beach began to shrink, prompting the first of a series of beach replenishment projects. In Ocean City, having fun is kind of our thing. In the late 1980s, the wax museum was turned into a Photon laser tag arena. Phone: 410-535-1600. Department officials say their latest class of several dozen seasonal recruits will be ready, imbued with full police powers and a fraction of the training permanent officers receive something no other police force in the country does. By 1881, a line was completed across Sinepuxent Bay to the shore, bringing rail passengers on the Baltimore, Chesapeake and Atlantic Railroad directly into the town to a train station on Philadelphia Avenue and returning to larger city markets with locally caught fish from Ocean City. The Emergency Services department, through its three divisions, works hand in hand with all county and state law enforcement agencies, Worcester County Volunteer Fire and EMS departments, as well as all Local, State and Federal Government departments and agencies. Department officials also worry about a change in law or regulation that would force a sudden stop to the program. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 36.37 square miles (94.20km2), of which 4.41 square miles (11.42km2) is land and 31.96 square miles (82.78km2) is water. There were 30,028 total housing units, with 3,820 occupied year-round and 26,208 vacant. - Submit news tips During those days, people arrived by stagecoach and ferry. Your browser is not supported for this experience.We recommend using Chrome, Firefox, Edge, or Safari. Be Nice. Although the Basic Plan addresses all phases of emergency management, it is specifically oriented toward preparedness and response activities. "[24] Trimper's Rides is home to one of the United States' oldest operational carousel rides. Ocean City continues to sprawl westward across the bay, toward Berlin and Ocean Pines. museum. The dismissal brought the departments already short supply of seasonal officers down to just over 40, exacerbating a dilemma squeezing the resort town: how to safeguard its image amid heightened scrutiny of police while deploying younger, less-trained officers to protect the tourists upon which its economy depends. Ocean City has a long history of fishing, both commercial and recreational. Now he was quickly fired. Maryland State Police will be stepping-up enforcement on state roads, heading toward the beach as well. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph. DARE. Bernadette DiPino, Ocean Citys police chief for about a decade beginning in 2003, said commanders she met at national law enforcement conferences were often surprised to hear about the seasonal program and the powers her officers were given.