Former Police Chief Massey honored for 17 years of service

(Aug. 27, 2020) Ocean Pines Association and local and state officials on Thursday honored former Police Chief David Massey during a retirement luncheon at the Ocean Pines Golf Clubhouse.  

Attendees included Ocean Pines General Manager John Viola, Association President Larry Perrone, former General Manager Dave Ferguson, County Commissioner Chip Bertino, and Maryland Sen. Mary Beth Carozza.  

Massey officially retired on Aug. 1 after serving the local community for nearly five decades, including 17 as Ocean Pines Chief of Police. New Police Chief Leo Ehirsman succeeded him.  

Viola said three words come to mind when thinking about Massey: appreciation, respect and admiration. 

“I am a homeowner here in Ocean Pines … I know what the chief has done for this Association, as well as the team he’s put together,” he said.  

Viola said Massey showed him respect as a new general manager, even as Massey was preparing for retirement. As for admiration, Viola said the former chief built up the Ocean Pines Police Department, and then took it to the next level.  

“He had a terrific career,” Viola said.  

Perrone joked that he questioned the timing of Massey’s retirement, which just so happened to coincide with the opening of an expanded and modernized police headquarters.  

“You pushed us all these years to get you a new building, and you can’t even move into the chief’s office!” Perrone said with a laugh.  

Perrone said another word also came to mind when he thought about Massey: professionalism.  

“You’re the epitome of professionalism for a police officer, and Ocean Pines has been very blessed to have you here for the last 17 years,” he said. 

Ferguson said he came on as general manager in 1999, when Rod Murray was the chief of police.  

“[Murray] was well qualified and really an excellent chief of police, however, the department suffered from poor pay … [and] huge turnover,” Ferguson said. “The biggest issue was that the police officers were ‘special police’ with very limited police powers.” 

Ferguson said Murray helped to recruit Massey as his successor, and that Massey fought for better pay, improved morale, and to help certify Ocean Pines Police and put them on par with the municipal departments in Worcester County. 

He said Massey focused on community policing, and he helped the department to gain respect and attract better officers.  

Ferguson said he’s managed communities for 42 years, including three decades as a city manager in New Jersey. He’s worked with 10 different police chiefs during that span. 

“I can tell you without any doubt, Dave was the best I’ve ever worked with. He's not only the best in this area, I think he’s one of the best nationwide,” Ferguson said. “I truly enjoyed working with you.” 

Bertino agreed that appreciation, respect, admiration and professionalism summed up the former police chief’s career well, but added he was thankful for Massey’s service for another, more personal reason.  

“During the time that you were chief, I never got a traffic ticket,” he said with a laugh. 

Bertino credited Massey with helping to make Ocean Pines one of the safest communities in Maryland, if not in the entire United States. He presented Massey with a commendation, on behalf of the Worcester County Commissioners. 

Carozza said she benefited from Massey’s service both as an Ocean City resident and an Ocean Pines property owner.  

“Ocean City was always safe, [because] you made a commitment about keeping crime down,” she said. 

She said Massey rose through the ranks in Ocean City to eventually become police chief there, and she lauded his consistent focus on “keeping the community safe, of keeping crime down, of involving people.” 

Carozza said Massey also did well in building a formidable team around him.  

“He has standards. He expects his team to reach those standards. And, if they don’t, he’s not going to tolerate it. That, ladies and gentlemen, is real leadership,” she said.  

“We really need to honor this today, especially in light of what our law enforcement family is going through,” she continued. “To take time now to recognize a lifetime of commitment to public safety service is so important.” 

Carozza presented Massey with a proclamation on behalf of the Maryland State Senate, as well as a resolution from Gov. Larry Hogan.  

Massey thanked everyone for attending, but especially took the time to recognize his family. 

“It’s not easy to have a police officer as a father,” he said. “My kids grew up [as] the cop’s daughter, the police officer’s daughter ... and we sacrifice so much, being a police officer.” 

Massey said he remembers having to spend 11 weeks at the FBI National Academy when his wife had a difficult pregnancy with their first daughter, Erin. 

He recalled another time when he was the patrol captain in Ocean City, and a metro transit bus ran over and killed a 7-year-old boy.  

“I brought that home with me. And, as I pulled into the driveway, my 7-year-old daughter, Jill, came up on her bicycle and said, ‘Look at me, daddy – first day without training wheels!’ These kind of things stay with you, your whole life – you'll never forget them. And that night, I cried like a baby because it was so traumatic,” he said.  

Massey said many police officers experience similar hardships. 

“Their divorce rate is higher than everyone else’s because of the things you see – the deaths, the domestic violence, the things you can’t always tell your wife about,” he said. “But, there’s so many good things that also come with this career.” 

In Ocean Pines, for example, Massey said residents will take the time to wave and say hello to police. 

“I can’t tell you, with a lot of the national controversy, how many people have come up to me and said, ‘We support you. We know you have a tough job. We’re there for you,’” he said.  

Massey admitted there were certainly “a few bad police officers out of the 600,000 that are on the street today, protecting us.” 

“I’ve never defended a bad police officer – I’ve had to fire a few in my career, because that’s my job and that’s my community,” he said. “If they shoot somebody unnecessarily, lock ‘em up, charge ‘em, fire ‘em. That’s the way it is.” 

However, Massey said he’s worked with thousands of good police officers.   

“They’re your sons and daughters. They’re good people. And, to be a police officer today, is a challenge,” he said.  

Massey said he has a “five-decade view” of police, “And today’s police officer is better educated, better trained and better equipped than when I started.” 

“I’ve never fired my gun. I’ve always treated people with dignity and respect and I always will, because that’s our job,” he said. “There are times when we deal with people who do not like us … but we must endure. We must continue to do our job. And it’s hard … not to take that home.” 

Massey said his whole family believes in public service. One grandfather fought for the British Army and the other fought for the United States in World War I. His father was an infantry sergeant at Omaha Beach and his mother served in the British Army during World War II.  

“My daughter is a nurse that gives everything to her community. I’m so proud of her,” he said. “My wife, Donna, who came to me when I was down and brought me back … was a schoolteacher who dedicated her life. 

“They’re heroes, just like police officers. They’ve given everything in their lives to their profession,” Massey added.  

He closed by also thanking Ocean Pines staff and leadership. 

“We have a wonderful general manager. We have the best Board of Directors I’ve ever had. We have such wonderful department heads. It’s a tremendous team,” he said.  

To view video of the ceremony, visit https://youtu.be/Wo6_9eiqgj0.