Gang Profiles: Baltimore County, Maryland.

10 February 2009, 9:09 am

 

Excerpted and/or paraphrased from the Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention and the Maryland Gangs Homepage at the University of Maryland website http://www.gangs.umd.edu .

 
In Case of Emergency!
To report gang activity that is an immediate threat to life or property,
citizens should call 911
 
 
 
To report gang activity in
Baltimore




The public may report gang activity to the "Gang Hotline" at (410) 823-0785.

 
 


Baltimore County is located in the northern center of Maryland. It is bordered by Anne Arundel, Carroll, Howard, and Harford counties, Pennsylvania, and surrounds Baltimore City on three sides. According to the 2000 census, the population is approximately 785,000. Numerous thoroughfares run through Baltimore County including I-95, I-83, I-70, Rt. 1 and Rt. 40, and I-695 which encircles Baltimore County. Gangs are present in each police precinct in the county.

Approximately 35 gangs currently operate in Baltimore County. These gangs typically consist of 4 to 10 members, with a few larger gangs having 20 or more members. Half of these gangs are local neighborhood or school gangs. The other half identify with national gangs, mainly the Crips, Bloods, and, to a much lesser extent, Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13). These gangs follow the “gang culture” of the national gang in terms of colors, dress, and tattoos, but are independent of the national gang; membership, control, and criminal activity are locally controlled.

Gang activity has been identified in every precinct in Baltimore County. The majority of this activity is attributed to neighborhood gangs. These gangs vary considerably in their level of organization and criminal activity. The vast majority are relatively loosely structured and engage in street-level drug sales, vandalism, assaults, and robberies. A smaller number, perhaps 10 of the total of 35 gangs, are more highly structured and responsible for more sophisticated drug distribution networks. These highly organized gangs are more likely to be involved in more serious assaults and murders.

In Baltimore County approximately 90% of gang members are male and 10% are female. The demographics are very dynamic; however, street gangs are a criminal culture that is not limited to any specific race or ethnic heritage.

In addition to street gangs, there is a limited Outlaw Motorcycle Gang (OMG) activity. The total membership of OMG members in Baltimore County is approximately 75. The majority of the activity has been confined to the Whitemarsh and Dundalk Precincts. Violence has increased between the two major groups, the Pagans and Hells Angels, including multiple assaults, shootings, and a pipe-bombing incident.

Baltimore County has 24 high schools. Each high school has at least one designated School Resource Officer (SRO) and all but six middle schools in Baltimore County also have SROs assigned. Suspected gang / gang related activity has been reported at almost every high school and a few of the middle schools. If a parent is concerned about their son or daughter potentially being involved in gangs, your first resource should be their school counselor or pupil personnel worker. For a list of school telephone numbers, please consult list of schools.

 

 

To report gang related crime use the following link or call 911 as appropriate. 

http://www.gangs.umd.edu/wfrmContact.aspx?page=report

 



 

 

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