By Tara Fischer

Staff Writer

(July 2, 2026) Amid a staffing shortage, Ocean Pines will strengthen the police department’s recruiting and retention efforts by boosting officers’ starting salaries.

At Monday night’s Ocean Pines Association Board of Directors meeting, association General Manager John Viola presented his recommendation to increase pay for members of the OP Police Department.

Currently, fresh hires who have not yet graduated from the police academy earn an annual salary of $63,500. Viola recommended increasing this to $72,000. Certified officers, meaning those who have completed the academy, have undergone training and a background evaluation, and have been sworn in, are now paid $67,945. The general manager said that he proposes this be adjusted to $73,500.

Viola also recommended a salary hike for all staffing levels. He added that he has discussed the raises with the board of directors and maintains that the increases are doable within the current budget.

“I have spoken to the board, and it’s all within the budget that we have,” Viola said.

The general manager said he hopes the salary boost will help recruit new officers to the Ocean Pines police force and keep current members. Viola said the department is understaffed at present.

At the board’s May meeting, OPA Senior Director of Administration Linda Martin noted the law enforcement agency currently employs eight police officers — the same number it had three years ago.

At one time, the department had 12 officers but four officers left the force within the past year. To offset the shortages, the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office has been offering assistance to maintain patrol coverage, particularly on night shifts.

Viola said that recruiting law enforcement personnel and other first responders is a challenge for agencies across the peninsula and that pay remains the determining factor in a department’s ability to secure quality employees.

“We are not fully staffed,” he said at Monday’s meeting. “It’s numbers game just like any other police department down here on the Eastern Shore.”

The pay recommendation follows a recent salary study that analyzed what the association could offer to remain competitive with neighboring agencies while remaining fiscally responsible.

According to Viola, the police department is already making progress in increasing its staffing levels. The agency has a new officer starting the academy this month, and likely two more coming in January.

In the meantime, staff says that despite the personnel struggles, the current team has worked hard to ensure the community is safe and that there are no gaps in coverage.

“I’m hearing positive stuff from Lt. Bailey and Lt. Schoepf who are handling the day-to-day operations in the interim as we move forward,” Viola said.