BALTIMORE, MD (Friday, July 23, 2021) – Today, outside of Rose Street Community Center in East Baltimore, Mayor Brandon M. Scott released the Baltimore City Comprehensive Violence Prevention Plan alongside the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (MONSE) Director Shantay A. Jackson, city officials, elected leaders, community partners, and residents. The plan is the City's first resident-informed, multi-year violence prevention strategy, effective July 1, 2021 - June 30, 2026.
The first-of-its-kind public safety strategy is the final product of Mayor Scott’s Draft Violence Prevention Framework and Plan that received input from hundreds of Baltimoreans in more than 36 public community sessions.
“For the first time, Baltimore residents were asked what they wanted to see in a public safety strategy and they spoke up,” said Mayor Brandon M. Scott. “This Comprehensive Violence Prevention Plan reflects the voice of Baltimoreans who want to see change in their communities. It is a path to sustainably reduce violent crime in Baltimore using a public health approach, and ultimately save lives.”
The Baltimore City Comprehensive Violence Prevention Plan is centered around three pillars:
- Public Health Approach to Violence
- Community Engagement and Inter-Agency Collaboration
- Evaluation and Accountability
Together, these pillars integrate into a comprehensive and holistic approach to combat gun violence and its root causes in Baltimore.
The Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement is charged with leading the efforts to fulfill this strategy, working directly with partner agencies, neighborhood associations, businesses, and other stakeholders to address crisis levels of gun violence today, while also tackling broader social determinants of health for a safer and more equitable Baltimore.
“As a lifelong Baltimorean, I am grateful to fellow residents for their willingness to partner in the work of coproducing public safety," said MONSE Director Shantay A. Jackson. "Crafting a public health approach to violence is about simultaneously addressing gun violence and unearthing its root causes. This plan employs approaches that provide the maximum benefit for all residents – regardless of race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, or zip code."
While this plan outlines the Mayor's comprehensive strategy for a safer Baltimore, much of the work has already begun. Since taking office in December, Mayor Scott has led efforts to establish a citywide 9-1-1 call diversion program for appropriate behavioral health calls, inaugurated the City's Trauma Informed Care Task Force, laid the groundwork for the forthcoming Group Violence Reduction Strategy with BPD and the State's Attorney's Office, re-established the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, and established a partnership with Everytown for Gun Safety for a first-of-its-kind data portal to better hold gun traffickers and straw purchasers accountable.
In May of 2020, then-Council President Scott sponsored and passed the Biennial Comprehensive Violence Prevention Plan Ordinance. The Ordinance mandated the Baltimore City Health Department to develop a comprehensive violence prevention framework rooted in public health and inclusive of strategies that are trauma-informed, reduce harm, and heal individuals and communities. The Baltimore City Comprehensive Violence Prevention Plan is the first to fulfill this requirement.
