Charles County is located adjacent to Calvert, Prince George’s and St. Mary’s counties and is bordered by Virginia. According to the 2000 census, the population is approximately 120,500. Most of the county is suburban and rural. Gang activity is an emerging problem in Charles County. As in many jurisdictions in Maryland, gangs are an emerging problem in Charles County. Police gather information from a variety of sources but it is hard to identify all of the gangs and gang members in the area and to get an accurate picture of how much gang-related crime exists. Gang information is often gathered as a supplemental to other investigations focusing on drug crimes. The Charles County Sheriff’s Department is evaluating the extent of gang-related crime activity in the County. Current estimates indicate the presence of 14 gangs in the County. Those gangs with at least 10 known members include The Cut Boyz, MS-13, Bloods, Knock Out Kings, the Black Guerilla Family and two Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs the Iron Horsemen and Phantoms.
If a parent is concerned about a child as potentially being involved in gangs, the first resource is the child’s school counselor or pupil personnel worker. For a list of school telephone numbers, please consult list of schools.
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