Wicomico County Sheriff's Office

Wicomico County Sheriff's Office
Agency overview
Formed1867
Employees142
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdictionWicomico, Maryland, USA
Map of Wicomico County Sheriff's Office's jurisdiction
Size400 square miles (1,000 km2)
Population102,923
General nature
Operational structure
HeadquartersSalisbury, Maryland
Deputys91
Civilian Personnels51
Agency executives
  • Michael A. Lewis, Sheriff
  • Gary Baker, Chief Deputy
Website
http://www.wicomicosheriff.com/

The Wicomico County Sheriff's Office (WCSO) is the primary law enforcement agency servicing Wicomico County, Maryland. The WCSO was established in 1867 and is responsible for the protection of life and property, enforcing orders of the court, and maintaining the detention facility.[1]

The current sheriff is Mike A. Lewis. Lewis has attracted national news attention for stating that he will not enforce state gun bans,[2][3][4] and proclaiming Wicomico County a "Second Amendment sanctuary".[5] He is a "Sheriff Fellow" of the Claremont Institute.[6]

Organization

The agency is divided into two bureaus with many divisions:[7]

  • Sheriff deputy's patrol car
    Special Operations Bureau
    • Budget and Finance Division
    • Internal Affairs Division
    • Administrative Hearings Section
    • Human Resources Division
    • Sheriff's Emergency Response Team
    • Polygraph/VSA Section
    • Administrative Resources Division
    • Special Investigations Division
  • Field Operations Bureau
    • Road Patrol Division
    • Judicial Protection Division
    • School Resource Division

History

In late 2022, Sheriff's Deputy Steven Abreu was arrested and charged with nine counts of first degree rape against a total of five women, using his power to assault them while on duty.[8][9] An affidavit filed against Abreu accused him of manipulating his vehicle and body-worn cameras during the interactions.[10]

Since 1867, there have been 41 elected sheriffs:[1]

Sheriffs of Wicomico County
Name From To
William Howard 1867 1869
John Johnson 1869 1871
William Twilley 1871 1873
William Moore 1873 1875
L. R. Dorman 1875 1877
Joshua Trader 1877 1879
William Moore 1879 1881
V.J. Collier 1881 1883
William Gordy 1883 1885
E. L. Austin 1885 1887
Isaac White 1887 1889
James Jones 1889 1891
Thomas Roberts 1891 1893
J. W. Farlow 1893 1895
James Johnson 1895 1897
John Dashiell[11] 1897 1899
Jesse Bratton 1899 1901
George Fooks 1901 1903
William Gillis 1903 1905
Elmer Bradley 1905 1907
W W. Larmore[11] 1907 1909
Josiah Kelley 1909 1911
Roy E. Smith 1911 1913
William Brary 1913 1915
William Dryden 1915 1917
James Chatham 1917 1919
William W Lawrence 1919 1921
John H. Farlow 1921 1923
G. Murray Phillips[12][11] 1923 1926
Ralph C. Duffy[11] 1926 1930
G. Murray Phillips[12][11] 1930 1934
Charles H. Truitt 1934 1938
Marvin B. Gordy 1938 1942
Leroy Brewington 1942 1946
Jesse M. Pollitt 1946 1958
Samuel Graham 1958 1968
Eugene Carey 1968 1970
William Shockley 1970 1982
John Baker 1982 1984
R. Hunter Nelms 1984 2007
Michael A. Lewis 2007

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "About Us: History". www.wicomicosheriff.com. Retrieved 2018-05-14.
  2. ^ "Gun Wars: Wicomico Co. sheriff among many who won't enforce some gun bans". Maryland Reporter. 2014-08-20. Retrieved 2022-11-08.
  3. ^ Junkin, Vanessa (2014-10-10). "Sheriff's views prompt petition by gun control group". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2022-11-08.
  4. ^ Cook, Chase (Feb 25, 2019). "Wicomico County Sheriff: 'We will not comply' with long gun license bill as written". Capital Gazette. Retrieved 2022-11-08.
  5. ^ Hooper, Bethany (2021-03-04). "03/04/2021 | Wicomico Sheriff Looks Past Critics With Sanctuary County Proclamation". News Ocean City Maryland Coast Dispatch Newspaper. Retrieved 2022-11-08.
  6. ^ Pishko, Jessica (2022-09-21). "Here's the Secret "Sheriff Fellowship" Curriculum From the Country's Most Prominent MAGA Think Tank". Slate Magazine. Retrieved 2022-11-08.
  7. ^ "Wicomico County Sheriff's Office Organization Policy and Procedure" (PDF). November 1, 2016. Retrieved May 14, 2018.
  8. ^ Ash, Sarah (November 30, 2022). "Former Wicomico Co. Sheriff's Deputy Indicted by Grand Jury on 50 Charges". WMDT. Retrieved May 24, 2023.
  9. ^ Ruark, Jana (November 30, 2022). "Former Wicomico Sheriff's Deputy Facing 50 Count Indictment for Sexual Assault". WBOC. Retrieved May 24, 2023.
  10. ^ Lambe, Jerry (October 31, 2022). "Maryland Sheriff's Deputy 'in Full Uniform' Allegedly Raped Woman in Kohl's Parking Lot, Followed Her from Work Days Later". Law & Crime. Retrieved May 24, 2023.
  11. ^ a b c d e Chavis, Charles L. (2021). The silent shore : the lynching of Matthew Williams and the politics of racism in the free state. Baltimore, Maryland. ISBN 978-1-4214-4292-1. OCLC 1243909579.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  12. ^ a b Moore, Joseph E. (2006). Murder on Maryland's Eastern Shore : race, politics and the case of Orphan Jones. Charleston, SC. ISBN 978-1-61423-095-3. OCLC 944246573.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)


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