The Ocean City Police Department Traffic Safety Unit was established in 1976 through federal funding obtained for the agency by Captain Jeffrey Kelchner.  At that time the department did not have trained collision investigators.  The funding was used to train a small group of police officers in advanced accident investigation and to obtain the necessary equipment for the officers to carry out that mission.  Captain Kelchner, then Sergeant Kelchner, was the first supervisor of the Traffic Safety Unit.

Since that time the unit has undergone many changes in personnel, training, and equipment.  With the increase in tourism and the growing local roadways and state highway system in the Town of Ocean City, the Traffic Safety unit has now become one of the largest special units in the agency.

The Traffic Safety Unit is currently made up of one Sergeant who serves as the unit supervisor, and ten officers. The unit has several primary missions, they are:
  • To promote traffic safety through public education.
  • To reduce motor vehicle collisions through the development and implementation of selective enforcement programs.
  • To fully investigate all fatal and serious life-threatening motor vehicle collisions.
Officers who are assigned to the Traffic Safety Unit are highly motivated and intelligent officers who receive hundreds of hours of additional training related to accident investigation that the typical patrol officer does not. The training certifies all members of the unit as recognized collision reconstructionists. Many members of the unit have received further specialized training in motorcycle, bicycle, and pedestrian collision reconstruction training.

The members of the Traffic Safety unit are assigned to the various patrol shifts and carry out their unit responsibilities in addition to their general patrol officer responsibilities.