Ocean City raises, rejects banning masks on the Boardwalk (2024)

OCEAN CITY — Police Chief Bill Campbell on Thursday advised City Council against banning anyone wearing masks on the Boardwalk, which seemed to guarantee that no such ban will move forward.

Just a few years ago, anyone covering their face in a public area in the summer would be immediately suspicious. COVID-19 made mask wearing mandatory inside many buildings, and cloth or surgical masks became commonplace outside as well.

There had been no formal discussion of the possibility of banning masks, but Councilman Jody Levchuk said at the Thursday meeting that he had raised the possibility with the city administration at the request of some Boardwalk merchants.

In some instances, teens caught on video causing problems over Memorial Day weekend had their faces covered, apparently to avoid being identified. The city reported significant issues with young people on the Boardwalk that weekend, including a number of fights. In the worst incident, a teenager was hospitalized after being stabbed.

Another teen was later charged.

“Quite frankly, I don’t think we have an issue with people wearing masks on the Boardwalk,” Campbell told council. “I think it would be a knee-jerk reaction to a very slight number of people, teenagers, primarily, that may have had a mask on during the widely circulated video from Saturday of Memorial Day weekend.

“I don’t think we should draft something that’s not an issue,” Campbell continued.

He said he communicated with his senior staff, and most opposed the idea. Campbell cited several concerns, including constitutional issues, the difficulty in enforcement and the potential liability for the city if someone were to take legal action believing they had been singled out by officers.

Even in the discussion phase, Campbell said, the ordinance was to include exemptions for religious practice and health concerns. Some people continue to wear masks in crowds, and some people with compromised immune systems or other medical conditions always will.

Campbell compared the proposed ordinance with a ban on backpacks on the beach and Boardwalk after 8 p.m., a move he supported. Where there have been issues with juveniles, he said, many carried fireworks, alcohol or illegal drugs in backpacks.

“Whatever they had with them, the contents were in the backpack,” he said.

Philadelphia had approved a ban on masks, he said, but that is not being enforced. In New York, there was a state ban on masks for more than a century, repealed during the pandemic. There has been discussion of reenacting that ban.

Levchuk said he spoke with other members of council after some merchants raised the possibility of banning face coverings.

“It seemed worth bringing it to the administration,” he said, specifically so that the matter could be researched. He said he would not push for an ordinance that would create hardships for the police or would raise questions of how it could be enforced.

Levchuk added he had not seen any problems on the Boardwalk since Memorial Day weekend and praised police for that result.

“Everybody’s been having a good time. Weather’s been great,” he said.

Mayor Jay Gillian said the city would continue to improve and said the backpack limits and closing the beach at 8 p.m. have made an impact.

“We had a rough Memorial Day weekend. We addressed it,” Gillian said. “We’re going to keep Ocean City safe.”