Table of Contents
Charles County Crime Solvers
The Charles County Sheriff’s Office and Charles County Crime Solvers work together to solve crimes and hold criminals accountable for their offenses. Crime Solvers offers rewards of up to $1,000 for information that leads to the arrest or indictment of a person involved in criminal activity.
The Crime Solvers Board of Directors, comprised of citizen volunteers, determines the value of the information based on each case. For more information about Crime Solvers, contact the CCSO’s Crime Solvers Coordinator, Officer Hakim Burgess, at 240-419-4086, visit the Crime Solvers website or Facebook page.
Do you have information about a crime? The CCSO and Crime Solvers value your information and understand the importance of protecting your identity. There are three ways for you to submit your tip anonymously:
Call Us
To submit a tip by phone, call 866-411-TIPS. You will provide your tip to an operator, who will issue you an identification number. Keep this number in a safe place. You will be asked to call Crime Solvers again at a later date to check the status of your tip. The operator will need your identification number. Please remember, you will remain anonymous throughout the entire process.
E-mail Us
Remember: You will remain anonymous throughout the entire process. The web messages are encrypted and routed through several protected servers to protect your personal information. The system allows the police to respond to your messages without ever knowing your identity.
Free Training: Surviving a Mass Shooting
Protecting Your Family in Public Places
The Charles County Sheriff’s Office is committed to your safety and the protection of life is our highest priority. However, there are times when a dangerous event could occur and what you do before police arrive is crucial. With that in mind, we offer a free service to train you on what to do should a situation occur. The training we offer is a nationwide program that was developed by subject matter specialist and renowned author of Mass Shootings: Six Steps to Survival, John Matthews. The presentation focuses on tips and suggestions that citizens can utilize to improve their odds of surviving potentially deadly situations. The author has conducted extensive research and investigation relating to mass shootings over the last four decades, focusing on survivors and the actions they took. From this research he developed his patented ESCAPE model, a six-step plan of action to optimize survival rates. Our presenter will also provide basic information reference what to expect of first responders and what to do when the first responders arrive.
This program is available to all people of Charles County. Most often the program, which lasts between sixty and ninety minutes, is presented to groups; religious institutions, fraternal organizations, civic associations, educational institutions, or other community service organizations. To request information or schedule a presentation, contact Community Organizer Gus Proctor at (301) 932-3080 or via email at communityorganizer@ccso.us.
Houses of Worship Safety and Security
This program is a cooperative initiative between the Charles County Sheriff’s Office Homeland Security and Intelligence Section, Special Operations Division Crime Prevention Unit, and the Charles County Department of Emergency Services. In response to the tragic and senseless mass shootings throughout the United States, our team developed this presentation to aid in safeguarding our local faith based community. The three section presentation covers general security and crime prevention techniques, a brief Run, Hide, Fight response to active shooter, and an emergency medical treatment presentation.
This presentation is available to all faith based organizations in Charles County, at no cost. The program lasts approximately sixty to ninety minutes, and is most efficiently provided to large groups representing multiple organizations. To request information or schedule a presentation, contact Community Organizer Gus Proctor at (301) 932-3080 or via email at communityorganizer@ccso.us
Crime Prevention Programs
At the core of any safe community is a coalition of citizens and police who work together to prevent crime and address public safety issues. The CCSO is proud of its alliance with the Charles County community. We encourage citizens and businesses to take an active role in public safety by taking part in our crime prevention programs. For more information about crime prevention, call the Community Organizer, Gus Proctor, at (301) 932-3080 or via email at communityorganizer@ccso.us
The CCSO Community Services Section publishes a newsletter, which offers important safety information for Charles County residents. The CCSO encourages readers to share the information with family and friends. To view the latest edition and our archives, follow this link.
Free Home and Business Security Surveys
Security surveys help you protect your home or business against burglaries and other crimes. A representative from the CCSO will inspect your property, identify security weaknesses and recommend better security practices. The surveys are free.
To schedule your home or business security survey, call the Community Organizer, Gus Proctor, at (301) 932-3080 or via email at communityorganizer@ccso.us
Neighborhood Watch
Neighborhood Watch is a community-based crime prevention program where neighbors look out for each other’s safety, property, and homes. Neighborhood Watch has grown from an “extra eyes and ears” approach to crime prevention to a much more proactive, community-oriented endeavor bringing together law enforcement and citizens for the protection of their communities. Today’s Watch Group programs incorporate activities that not only address crime prevention issues but also restore pride and unity to a neighborhood. It is not uncommon to see members of Neighborhood Watch groups participating in community cleanups, youth outreach, and other activities that strive to improve the quality of life for community residents. It assists communities in establishing and maintaining open lines of communication, and collaborate to resolve problems of crime and disorder, they create safer, friendlier, and healthier neighborhoods. We welcome all communities to join.
Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Unit offers Neighborhood Watch training and will assign you a liaison officer. For more information about the Neighborhood Watch Program, email neighborhoodwatch@ccso.us
National Night Out
Each year on the evening of the first Tuesday in August, the CCSO and neighborhood residents take part in National Night Out (NNO), a celebration of crime- and drug-prevention efforts and of the alliance between police and citizens.
NNO is a national event sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch (NATW). Each year, 10,000 communities from all 50 states, U.S. Territories, Canadian cities and military bases worldwide take part in celebrations. NNO heightens crime- and drug-prevention awareness; generates support for and participation in local anti-crime efforts; and strengthens neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships.
In Charles County, many neighborhoods host block parties with lots of food and family fun including parades, flashlight walks, contests, youth activities and pool parties. The Sheriff, his command staff, officers, McGruff the Crime Dog and McGruff’s nephew Scruff visit the neighborhoods meet citizens in a fun, relaxed atmosphere and reaffirm their commitment to keeping the community safe. Some neighborhoods do not host block parties but still demonstrate their support for NNO by turning on their porch lights for the evening.
The CCSO also hosts an NNO coloring contest for children. Winners receive awards presented by the Sheriff, McGruff and Scruff at a ceremony held in the fall.
For more than a decade, Charles County has been recognized by the NATW for its ever-growing and enthusiastic participation in the event.
For more information about National Night Out, contact the Community Organizer, Gus Proctor, at (301) 932-3080 or via email at communityorganizer@ccso.us
Sex Offender Registry
The Maryland Sex Offender Registry provides citizens with access to information about registered sex offenders in Maryland.
Sex offenders in Maryland are required to register at their local law enforcement agency twice a year and must immediately report changes in their residential address or employment. To ensure the information about registered sex offenders in Charles County is current and accurate, the CCSO’s Criminal Investigations Division makes unannounced compliance checks at offenders’ homes and places of employment.
One of the registry’s requirements is a photograph of the offender, which is updated every six months during re-registration. However, if a detective conducting an unannounced compliance check discovers the offender has changed his or her appearance, the detective will photograph the offender again and submit the additional picture to the registry’s website.
The registry was developed as part of efforts to protect both children and adults from people who have been convicted of sex offenses. If you are concerned because a sexual offender resides nearby, you may contact Sgt. Charles Garner, with the Special Victims Unit, at 301-609-6481 or email svu@ccso.us for advice.
Here are some general safety tips to remember:
- Talk to your children about strangers and make sure they know not to enter someone else’s home without your permission.
- Never let young children play outside without a trusted adult’s supervision.
- When older children play outside without supervision, make sure they are always in a group and are never alone, even on a short walk home. Be sure to check on them frequently and review “Stranger Danger” information with them.
- Adults who spend time outside alone should always be aware of their surroundings. Remember common sense tips, like don’t walk or run alone after dark.
Crime Statistics
CityProtect.com
CityProtect User Guide
Being aware of crime that occurs in your community can help you better protect yourself, your family and your property. With this in mind, the CCSO offers citizens near-instant access to information about crimes through the website CityProtect.com.
Citizens who visit the CityProtect website may search for crimes by city, address, zip code and neighborhood. The results will include crimes that occurred in and around the search area. It offers information about the type of crime and when and where it occurred.
More specific details about crimes are not available on the website but citizens who are concerned about a particular incident may contact their District Commander for more information. When calling about a specific event, please be ready to provide the event identifier, a series of numbers that follow an “S” and are found in the event’s description (Example: S090570999). The District Commander will need that information to research the incident about which you are inquiring.
CityProtect is a third-party service offered in conjunction with Google Maps. CityProtect provides a list of calls for service and Google Maps provides a visual interpretation of the information by flagging the incident locations on a map of the searched area. CityProtect uses information provided directly from the CCSO, thereby offering an accurate report of calls for service. The CCSO cannot guarantee the accuracy of Google Maps