OCEAN CITY, Md. - Ocean City resident Mike Nolan was stunned to learn just how many arrests were made in town last month. “I’m hoping it’s due to enforcement. I don’t think it’s anything bad to the city,” Nolan said.
According to a recent report from the Ocean City Police Department, arrests in May of 2025 surged to 210, up from 154 in May of 2024. That marks a 36 percent year-over-year increase.
Ashley Miller, deputy communications manager for the Ocean City Police Department, attributed part of the rise to a targeted effort to crack down on impaired driving. She said some officers are dedicated solely to DUI enforcement.
“They’re not answering general calls for service or anything. They’re out there looking for violations on their own, or helping officers that are on their normal shift, that they have a suspected DUI.”
Nolan also pointed to the town’s growing number of events as a factor behind the rising numbers. “Where there’s crowds, there’s going to be problems and that probably contributes to it,” he said.
With over 200 arrests in May, the Ocean City Police Department says it will continue to assign officers specifically tasked with identifying and stopping impaired drivers.