KENTLAND, MARYLAND

'Kentland' (''Kent Village'')"2-5" is an unincorporated community located in Prince George's County, Maryland, in the United States within the Greater Landover census area. According to Rand McNally estimates in 2005, the community had an estimated population of 2,000 people. Although it has no official boundaries, it is commonly accepted that Kentland is bordered by Maryland Route 202 (Landover Road) and the city of Glenarden to the north, Maryland Route 704 (Martin Luther King Jr. Highway) and the neighborhood of Palmer Park to the east, Columbia Park Road to the south, and U.S. Route 50 (John Hanson Highway) and the town of Cheverly to the west. Kentland is served by the Landover Metro Station (orange line), which is located just north of the community, across Landover Road. Kentland is also considered to be one of the most deadliest suburbs in the United States with a high murder rate, 206 murders 2006 . The area represents the poorest of social poverty,with the homeless, gangs, and drugs the area continues to be plagued by incredible murder rates.
Fire protection in Kentland is provided by the [1]Prince George's County Fire Department, Companies 33 and 46. Station 33 is a 100% volunteer fire department and station 46 is supplemented by Prince George's County paid personnel. Kentland 33 operates three fire engines, a 75-foot Aerialscope, and a mini-pumper. This department has been the subject of controversy for many years. In February of 2006, Kentland firefighters were accused assaulting other firefighters at the scene of a house fire in Landover Hills after a ladder truck from another fire company parked on top of their fire hose-cutting off the water supply. Prince George's County States Attorney, Glen Ivey, reviewed the allegations and found no evidence of any wrongdoing. In his statement, Mr. Ivey made mention that the actions of the Kentland firefighter caught on video tape was nothing more than a "shove" and that it did not merit criminal charges. In May of 2007, Kentland Vol. Fire Department was ordered by the Chief of the Prince George's County Fire/EMS Department to place an ambulance at Station 33 to serve the citizens of Kentland. When this order was refused, the Volunteer Chief of the Kentland VFD was suspended. Kentland VFD has to this date still refused to place an ambulance at Station 33, yet has offered to lease a portion of their property to Prince George's County to construct the Greater Landover EMS Station. Prince George's County Fire/EMS Chief Lawrence Sedgwick refused this offer and negotiations are still underway.
A book was recently written by a Kentland Fireman named Jerry Engle. The book is titled Probie Days. It is a look through the eyes of Jerry himself, and gives the reader a front row seat to the life of a firefighter at one of the Nation's busiest volunteer firehouses.