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]
Organizationedit
The agency is divided into two bureaus with many divisions:[7]
Sheriff deputy's patrol carSpecial 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
Historyedit
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]
^"Gun Wars: Wicomico Co. sheriff among many who won't enforce some gun bans". Maryland Reporter. 2014-08-20. Retrieved 2022-11-08.
^Junkin, Vanessa (2014-10-10). "Sheriff's views prompt petition by gun control group". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2022-11-08.
^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.
^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.
^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.
^"Wicomico County Sheriff's Office Organization Policy and Procedure" (PDF). November 1, 2016. Retrieved May 14, 2018.
^Ash, Sarah (November 30, 2022). "Former Wicomico Co. Sheriff's Deputy Indicted by Grand Jury on 50 Charges". WMDT. Retrieved May 24, 2023.
^Ruark, Jana (November 30, 2022). "Former Wicomico Sheriff's Deputy Facing 50 Count Indictment for Sexual Assault". WBOC. Retrieved May 24, 2023.
^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.
^ abcdeChavis, 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)
^ abMoore, 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)
