Chief: No Concerns With OCPD After Shuffling Retirements, Promotions

OCEAN CITY — The shuffle at the top of the Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) continued last month with another significant promotion, but despite an apparent experience drain this year, there is no concern about the quality of officers moving up the ranks in the department.

The OCPD announced recently Lieutenant Ray Austin has been promoted to the rank of captain and will take over as the commander of the Criminal Investigation Division. Austin’s promotion comes on the heels of the retirement of long-time Captain Kevin Kirstein, who was feted with a retirement ceremony at City Hall.

Kirstein’s retirement was the fourth significant retirement within the last year and the sixth in the last 18 months. Collectively, the four high-ranking OCDP officers that have retired since last May, including Kirstein, Lieutenant Todd Wodd, Lieutenant Mark Pacini and Detective Corporal Brett Case, roughly had 120 years of experience with the department combined.

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