OCPD vaping arrests/citations statistics released
OCEAN CITY, Md. – Following an altercation between a police officer and visitor that has raised concerns, the Caucus of African American Leaders has since gotten involved.
It all happened July 6th after Denzel Ruff vaped on the boardwalk. Ocean City Police Department says Ruff refused commands to stop vaping before they detained him using force.
The Caucus says they’re outraged by what they call recurring excessive force on African Americans in the area. Now they’re looking at the police department’s arrest and citation data for those who allegedly violated Ocean City’s laws as it relates to vaping between 2020 and 2022.
“Not surprisingly what the data shows is that African Americans are subject to being arrested more for vaping than their white counterparts. It also underscores the fact that Ocean City really needs to take a new look at its policy,” says Carl Snowden, with the Caucus.
Caucus Convener Carl Snowden says a citation could be given rather than making an arrest. He says this incident will also leave a negative economic impact on the area. The Evangelical Lutheran Church who hosts their annual assembly in Ocean City has now moved locations because of “the city’s disregard for the environment and its history of excessive police force in interactions with racial minorities.”
The church says their events bring in about 800 attendees that patronize local businesses averaging an estimated $175 per day spent on lodging and food. Snowden says this could be the first of many boycotts.
“We don’t want to get to the point where we call on other groups across the state to do the same. So we’re going to give the mayor and the city an opportunity to respond to our request — that they think about reforming the vaping law. If they decide not to do it, then we will publicly call for an economic boycott,” says Carl Snowden.
The caucus decided this morning to help Denzel Ruff find legal counsel. Snowden adds that if you believe you’ve experienced police misconduct that is racially motivated in Ocean City, you should contact the caucus at 443-871-5656.
Ruff is charged with disorderly conduct, resisting and interfering with arrest, among other charges. We reached out to Ocean City Police Department and did not receive a response by air time.
