Wicomico County is located on the eastern shore of Maryland adjacent to Dorchester, Somerset and Worcester counties and is bordered by Delaware, and the Chesapeake Bay. According to the 2000 census, the population is approximately 85,000 with 24,000 of those living in Salisbury. Most of the county is rural and gang activity is primarily in the city of Salisbury and surrounding areas.
As in many jurisdictions in Maryland, gangs are an emerging problem in Wicomico County, primarily in Salisbury. 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 and assaults.
Gangs in Salisbury and Fruitland are primarily local Neighborhood gangs such as East Side, FTL, ABM (All About Money) and MG (Murder Gang). These gangs typically range in size from 10 to 20 members/associates each, with one gang possibly exceeding 30 members/associates. These gangs are predominantly African American and appear to be involved in destruction of property, assaults, and narcotic activities.
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.