Chestertown Police Chief Gives Statement on Recent Block Party

Chestertown, MD - On August 15, 2026, the Chestertown Police Department responded to a community block party in the 400 block of Calvert Street in Chestertown. Chestertown Police Chief Ronald M. Dixon has responded to the block party and addressed several concerns.

A permit for the gathering had been obtained the day before, at 3:30 p.m., with organizers requesting a timeframe of 3 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Police said the organizers were cooperative and helpful throughout the event. The department also confirmed the party had no connection to the Legacy Day weekend celebration organized by Sumner Hall.

Police said an overwhelming majority of attendees were cooperative and respectful. Many of the people at the party came from outside Kent County.

The few issues of the night involved disruptive juveniles as the party was dispersing. A single adult arrest is pending following a disturbance at High Street and Dixon Drive after the party ended.

A separate arrest involved a disorderly juvenile after a disturbance at the Calvert Heights Apartment complex around midnight. Police said that incident was not directly connected to the block party. In total, hundreds of people attended the event, and only two arrests were made.

Police noted that past events in the area have included violence, unruly crowds, and property damage. Similar block parties in nearby Caroline and Dorchester Counties over the past six weeks have involved gunfire, including one incident where a person was struck by a bullet and several structures and vehicles were hit.

The weekend included other planned events, including the Legacy Day celebration downtown and a smaller gathering at Wilmer Park sponsored by the Kent County Public Library. Because of the number of events happening at once, a safety plan was put together in advance.

That plan included possible support from the Maryland State Police, the Queen Anne's County Sheriff's Office, and the Kent County Sheriff's Office.

Along with regular patrol officers, a Maryland State Police Special Operations Division Mobile Field Force team was on standby during the event. The team stayed in a remote location and was not brought in until 30 minutes after the party ended. Officers did not begin walking the streets to encourage people to leave until 45 minutes after the permit expired.

No force was used to move the crowd. By 10:30 p.m., nearly everyone had left the area, including the outside police agencies that had come to help.

Chestertown Police Chief Ronald M. Dixon addressed the event in a statement. "At the end of the day, it is my responsibility to ensure the safety of everyone in Chestertown, a responsibility that I have taken seriously for the past 5 years. We have worked to build a positive relationship with our entire community and will not take steps in reverse. I welcome public feedback, both positive and negative."