Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake focused her fourth State of the City address on a subject she says is on her mind “every hour of every day,” crime.
In her speech Monday, Rawlings-Blake outlined crime fighting strategies she said are aimed at getting violent repeat offenders off the streets, modernizing the police department and preventing youth violence.
The mayor said her administration will implement Operation Ceasefire, a crime fighting strategy that has been successful in reducing violence in New York and Boston. The program brings law enforcement and government agencies together to work to limit the moves of certain suspects, involves community members and offers social programs to help criminals reform.
Rawlings-Blake made it clear that violent crimes will be punished harshly.
“There will be severe and swift consequences for any future acts of violence,” the mayor warned while offering an olive branch. “If you are genuinely sincere about wanting to change your life, we are here with the resources and support to assist you in that endeavor.”
A consultant’s report on the police department released last November recommended implementing Operation Ceasefire.
In addition to deploying officers to violent hot spots, expanding the city’s watch center and modernizing the operations of the police department, the mayor proposed creating year-round curfew centers for young people who violate the city’s curfew law.
The Youth Connection Centers will provide families with services that provide youth development in addition to a safe place for young people until a parent or guardian picks them up.
The mayor said in a news conference after the speech she is creating the centers in addition to putting money towards more recreation centers.
“We’ve opened new recreation centers with more on the way,” she said.
Rawlings-Blake said that while overall crime is falling in the city she recognized that many people look at the homicide rate, which is outpacing last year’s thus far.
And she turned personal, speaking of the murder of her 19-year-old cousin last year and a violent attack that nearly killed her brother, Wendell, in 2002.
“I will never forget seeing my brother after being attacked just right outside of my door,” she said.
Turning from a focus on crime, Rawlings-Blake also touted successes—moving toward an automated tax collecting system aimed at reducing human error, attracting 1.100 new residents to the city since 2011 and updating water meters for more accurate billing.
She said her administration moved quickly to correct problems in the city’s troubled speed camera system by voiding inaccurate tickers and issuing refunds.
Councilman Carl Stokes, who represents parts of East Baltimore, praised the speech.
“I think the mayor’s attempt to say ‘let’s do some things constructive sooner rather than later’ to get a handle on this spoke well of her own commitment,” said.
But Councilman Jim Kraft, who represents Southeast Baltimore, where one neighborhood – Patterson Park - has seen a rise in violent crime, said he didn’t hear anything new in the speech.
“I think the mayor stated a lot of things that she has been working on for a number of years; some of those things we moved forward on considerably,” said Kraft who added he was hoping to hear specifics about the mayor’s crime fighting strategy, “I really wanted to hear more about the targeted efforts on neighborhoods.”
Click here to read the mayor's speech.