Maryland Gov. Hogan details Baltimore violent crime response

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan announced a series of initiatives he said seek to address
violent crime in Baltimore City amid the city exceeding 300 homicides for the seventh consecutive year.

“People are being shot nearly every single day in Baltimore City, and we all have an obligation to do something about it right now,” Hogan said. “With all of the actions we have announced today, I want those families and all the victims of this violence to know that we will not stop pursuing those criminals who are terrorizing our community, and we will continue to use every tool at our disposal to make these neighborhoods safer and to get these violent shooters off the streets.”

The resources include the Fast-Tracking and Expanding Neighborhood Safety Grants Program, which involves the state expanding its $10 million Neighborhood Safety Grants program to include places of worship and vulnerable communities; the Police Initiative, which focuses on increased funding to state and local police agencies to purchase body cameras, providing de-escalation training, hiring more officers, victims services and community policing initiatives; ordering a review of State’s Attorney’s Office funding; and urging the Baltimore Police Department to redouble tactical efforts in high-crime areas.