Governor Moore Announces Vision To Address Public Safety In Maryland

In June, Governor Wes Moore laid out the Moore-Miller administration’s new vision to address public safety in Maryland. The strategy focuses 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.

“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,” Moore said. “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.

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 Colonel Roland 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 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 Anne Arundel, Prince George’s, Montgomery 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 Group Violence Reduction Strategy in West Baltimore — where homicides and non-fatal shootings have fallen by 33% since 2022, and about 50% since 2017.
• 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.

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.”

Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman believes that by targeting the root causes of crime, Moore’s plan will make Maryland a safer place.

“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,” Pittman said.