Community Day At Pemberton Manor Apartments - WMDT 47 News - Delmarva's Choice

Community Day At Pemberton Manor Apartments

SALISBURY, Md. - One Salisbury apartment complex struggling to shake their reputation for being "unsafe" gets help from a local church.     But it appears, the city still has to step in to keep things secure. On Saturday afternoon, Salisbury police arrested the boyfriend of one of the tenants of Pemberton Manor.     It may seem like a remnant of the complex's troubled past, but officials admit major security improvements have brought change.

"Were offering background checks on every application that we do. We're making sure that there's good screening," says Caroline Reed,  Pemberton Manor Community Outreach Coordinator  

In lieu of violent shootings in recent years, Salisbury Police have stepped up patrols at Pemberton and now a security guard stands at the entrance at least 18 hours a day.    According to Salisbury Police, crimes involving murder, rape, robbery and assault have gone down in recent years at Pemberton Manor.

    Russhette Johnson and her two children moved into Pemberton Manor just six months ago, but she admits the apartments tainted criminal past was a concern.

 "At first I was like, 'I don't think I want to live there'. But then I had some friends that lived out here and told me it had gotten a lot better. So, I decided to move out here," says Johnson, a Pemberton Manor Resident.  

   Parents and children from Pemberton Manor came out for Community Day, where Cross Pointe Church of Nazarene reached out to residents with food, fun and games.

  "We wanted to come here and minister to families, but also just provide a fun time and a safe environment for the kids as well," says  Pastor Jared Willemin. 

"I think its great because it gives the kids something to do and it seems like everyone out here is enjoying themselves," says Johnson.     This was the first community day project sponsored by Cross Pointe Church.      Pemberton officials tell us more activities are in the works for later this summer.