UPDATED: Governor Moore Announces New Vision to Address Public Safety in Maryland; Response from State Senator Mary Beth Carozza
Governor Wes Moore today laid out the Moore-Miller administration’s new vision to address public safety in Maryland. The strategy is an all-of-the-above approach focused on supporting law enforcement; building stronger, more vibrant communities; coordinating across all aspects of government; and investing in Maryland’s youth through the Safe Summer initiative.
Additional Information and Statements Below…
“An all-of-the-above approach to improving public safety in Maryland requires preventing crime, holding criminals accountable, and addressing the root causes of crime,” said Gov. Moore. “Good government is about making strong choices. And we are going to make the choice to act on public safety – in a way that is robust, strategic, and moves with an urgency that the issue demands; in a way that doesn’t just react to crime, but actually prevents crime.”
Through the Maryland Department of State Police, the administration is bolstering coordination with local and federal law enforcement agencies through the Maryland Coordination and Analysis Center, known as MCAC. MCAC is the focal point between Maryland’s public safety agencies and provides critical data, analysis, and insight into criminal activity.
In his first budget, Governor Moore invested $11 million in MCAC to expand staffing and invest in technology infrastructure. Since the beginning of this year, MCAC has worked with more than 275 federal, state and local agencies in Maryland and around the country on a wide range of issues, from homicides to robberies to fraud to retail theft.This year in Baltimore, MCAC investigative support for the Baltimore City Police Department has increased by 23%.
“No single police department has all the necessary resources and intelligence to combat the diverse range of criminal activities that we are seeing today – that’s why collaborative enforcement initiatives across every sector of law enforcement are more important than ever before,” said Maryland Department of State Police Superintendent Col. Roland L. Butler. “I am proud to stand with the members of the State Police and public safety partners who come to work each day and make a positive impact on our quality of life as Marylanders.”
As a model for the governor’s all-of-the-above approach to public safety, the Department of Juvenile Services is launching its Safe Summer initiative, which prioritizes early intervention to build a more effective, less expensive, and better long-term approach to improving public safety and bolstering opportunity for youth involved in Maryland’s juvenile justice system.
To set the stage for Maryland’s Safe Summer initiative, the department defined three priorities:
- To direct more resources to Prince George’s, Montgomery, Anne Arundel, and Baltimore Counties; and Baltimore City—the five jurisdictions that account for 75% of youth violence referrals in Maryland;
- To launch an initiative focused on 25 youth under state supervision who are at the highest risk of shooting someone or being shot, based on the successful Group Violence Reduction Strategy in West Baltimore—where homicides and non-fatal shootings have fallen by 33% since 2022, and about 50% since 2017; and
- To create new partnerships across state government and in our communities that will build upon our young people’s strengths rather than focusing on extinguishing their deficits.
“To meet this moment we need all hands on deck. And I’m here to say that the Department of Juvenile Services stands ready to do our part,” said Maryland Department of Juvenile Services Secretary Vinny Schiraldi. “By prioritizing early interventions, we can meet our goal of building a more effective, less expensive, and better long-term approach to improving public safety.”
In partnership with the Department of Natural Resources and the Maryland Department of the Environment, the agencies are implementing a series of youth development projects that will provide young people with the tools they need to thrive in communities across the state.
“These opportunities won’t just be meaningful—they can be life-changing,” said Maryland Department of Natural Resources Secretary Josh Kurtz. “This partnership will bring service opportunities, enhance appreciation of Maryland’s natural beauty, and build pathways to a better future for young Marylanders. Our programs will provide our young people with the tools they need to thrive.”
“We are excited about Governor Moore’s new Safe Summer initiative, which puts together a comprehensive public safety plan for Maryland,” said Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks. “These additional State resources will enhance the investments we have already made at the local level that give law enforcement the resources they need while creating new programs that give residents greater access to opportunity. We look forward to our continued partnership with the Governor to keep Prince Georgians safe.”
“Governor Moore’s commitment to addressing the root causes of crime will make Anne Arundel County and Maryland a safer place,” said Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman. “I look forward to working with Governor Moore on implementing real solutions – better schools, access to housing, re-entry and employment services – to improve public safety.”
“I applaud the Moore-Miller administration’s vision to not just react to crime but actually help us prevent it,” said Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich. “Leadership in the Governor’s office that prioritizes coordination and crime prevention in a centralized manner is key to addressing the underlying causes of crime. Every jurisdiction across our region is affected by this critical issue, and borders between jurisdictions cannot be a barrier for collaboration. I look forward to working together on this key issue.”
“I’m proud to stand alongside Governor Moore as we reset our vision on public safety and move forward with an all of the above approach to keeping our communities safe,” said Baltimore County State’s Attorney Scott Shellenberger. “We are committed to assisting the Moore-Miller Administration in any way we can, and we know that we can get this done if we do it together.”
“The responsibility of ensuring the safety of our communities is a formidable task, but I have full confidence in Governor Moore’s ability to rise to the challenge,” said Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy. “With his comprehensive ‘all of the above approach,’ I firmly believe that together, we can effectively address the issue of public safety and provide our communities with the security they deserve.”
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UPDATED – 06-16-23 –
Response from District 38 State Senator Mary Beth Carozza (Worcester, Wicomico & Somerset Counties):
“During a week where we on the Eastern Shore were honoring the life of Corporal Glenn Hilliard on the one-year anniversary of his brutal murder by a repeat, violent offender, the Governor’s public safety announcement struck a raw nerve in my district where two of our finest law enforcement, Delmar Police Corporal Keith Heacook and Wicomico County Sheriff Corporal Glenn Hilliard, were savagely murdered by repeat, violent criminals over the last two years.
My constituents are demanding accountability and real consequences when it comes to dealing with repeat, violent offenders, and they are frustrated that there are no bold plans in addressing the violent crime in our communities,” said Carozza, who was one of the speakers at a June 12 vigil held on the one-year anniversary of the murder of Cpl. Glenn Hilliard at the Pittsville Fire Department.
Carozza noted that the Governor’s announcement concentrated on coordination and information sharing between various levels of law enforcement and a new summer youth program for juveniles within the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, with the expectation that this pilot program will expand to other state agencies. The Governor’s plan did not include any measures to reduce drug-trafficking, armed robberies, car-jackings or homicides, nor did it increase penalties against repeat violent offenders to remove them from the streets where they intimidate witnesses and influence young minds to follow in their footsteps. None of the Governor’s proposed initiatives reduce the number of illegal guns in the hands of criminals nor hold violent juveniles accountable for their crimes.
“This announcement follows the 2023 legislative session where the supermajority of Democrats went after law enforcement, instead of criminals, by passing legislation to increase the prosecutorial powers of the Attorney General to investigate law enforcement and by taking away one of the most effective tools of removing illegal guns from the streets by no longer allowing police to search vehicles that smell of marijuana. Without this tool, more illegal guns will be accessible to criminals. The Governor could have vetoed these measures that hurt law enforcement and reduce public safety, but they are now going into effect,” said Carozza.
“Public safety should be the number one priority for anyone involved in public service, whether elected or not, or whether directly involved or not,” said Carozza. “You can’t truly move forward with excellence in education, more affordable housing and healthcare, or a cleaner environment if Marylanders are not safe in their homes, neighborhoods, and communities. And public safety can only work if you have real accountability and real consequences.”
As we prepare for the 2024 legislative session, we will keep calling for and pressing the Governor and the legislature to work with us on commonsense violent crime policies and legislation. We say their names – Corporal Keith Heacook, Corporal Glenn Hilliard and the countless names of all Maryland victims of violent crimes – as we push for real accountability and consequences for the safety of all Marylanders.”
