Gov. Moore says Maryland's effort to combat violent crime will example for other states
BALTIMORE -- Gov. Wes Moore talked about Maryland's role in combatting violent crime and upholding public safety during a press conference at the National Press Club on Thursday.
Moore said there was nothing more important to him than ensuring that Maryland's neighborhoods are safe.
He said Maryland is ready to begin setting an example for states across the nation.
"Pushing back on violence is about accountability and action, yes – but it's also about prevention, coordination, and strategy," he said. "In Maryland, we've taken an all-of-the-above approach to public safety, to support state and local law enforcement, build stronger communities, and coordinate across all parts of government and all parts of society."
But Maryland can't address the reality of its violence without simultaneously dealing with the false narratives associated with violence, he said.
"Nobody wants to address violent crime more than the people that actually live in communities suffering from violence," he said. "Yet we've politicized this issue to a point where we believe it's us against them. Let's come together on this and focus on the realities of violence instead of emphasizing the deficiencies of certain communities."
Moore admonished news networks "that sensationalize violence" for missing the full story.
"You won't hear them talk about bad policies that limit opportunity and increase violence in our neighborhoods," he said. "You won't hear them talk about pipelines from poverty to prison. You won't hear them talk about the breakage in the system that allows so many of our young people to fall through the cracks."
He said the key to reducing violence is to fight poverty.
"One of the most powerful public safety tools we have is creating pathways to employment and foundations for hope," Moore said. "But that story isn't always getting told. You see, the false narrative of the media isn't just sensational, it's selective. And that's the danger."o fall through the cracks."
