Baltimore Mayor sees progress but 'not where we need to be' with crime reduction strategies

BALTIMORE - For the eighth year in a row, there have been more than 300 murder investigations in Baltimore City.

With 322 murders in 2022, the pace is slightly behind last year's murder rate.

Baltimore City leaders say their efforts are making progress and creating momentum. 

"Arrest themselves are up 10 percent compared to last year and gun arrests are up 19 percent, but at the same time, I will be the first person to admit, we are not where we need to be," Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott said.

This year, the city started a Group Violence Reduction Strategy, a pilot program aimed at focusing on the most violent parts of Baltimore.

Mayor Scott said their efforts this year of an intentional focus on victim services and preventing further shootings and acts of violence. 

"Think about where we would be in Baltimore if we didn't have that violence reduction in the Western district, if police proactivity was up, if our violence interrupters were not mediating 2000 plus conflicts," Mayor Scott said.

"We are expanding and streamlining what victim services looks like in Baltimore City because we understand that victims are more likely to either be re-victimized or to retaliate," said Shantay Jackson, Director of Mayor's Office Neighborhood & Engagement.

Another factor is the way the Baltimore Police Department has reorganized its resources to adhere to the consent decree - including the first redistricting of police precincts in over 60 years.

"Complaints from the public, however, are down 32 percent, internal complaints are up which is a good thing because it means we have been putting auditing measures in place and are correcting behavior early in the process," Baltimore Police Commissioner Michael Harrison said.

These are just a few of the attempts of the long-term effort to repair the stain on the city and the police department's credibility with the community.

Mayor Scott made it clear that great things are happening in Baltimore, including investments that give Charm City a hopeful future. 

"At the same time we can talk about how far too many neighborhoods and people are being victimized, and how we have to start to truly see this historic reinvestment into neighborhood people places and spaces that were disinvested in for far too long," Mayor Scott said.

Another reason Mayor Scott is hopeful about the city's future and its approach to crime is the upcoming tenures of a new Baltimore City State's Attorney, Ivan Bates, and a new governor, Wes Moore, whom he says are both excited to work in true partnership with city leaders.