Tuesday, July 16, 2019
Maryland U.S. Attorney Announces Justice Department Launch of National Public Safety Partnership with Baltimore Police Department
Baltimore, Maryland – Today, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur, officials from the Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance, the Baltimore Police Department, the Office of the State’s Attorney’s for Baltimore City, and other federal law enforcement officials convened in Baltimore to initiate the National Public Safety Partnership (PSP) program with the Baltimore Police Department. This Justice Department program is a three-year engagement that seeks to leverage department assets in support of a local jurisdictions' commitment to drive down violent crime.
On June 3, 2019, Attorney General William Barr announced the selection of the Baltimore Police Department as one of ten FY 2019 PSP sites where the Justice Department will work collaboratively to provide training and technical assistance in areas such as crime analytics, emerging technology and community engagement.
Since 2017, the Justice Department has directed nearly $14.9 million in customized training and technical assistance to help build crime fighting capacity in PSP sites, including $6.6 million to support the FY 2019 sites through FY 2022. PSP seeks to bring law enforcement stakeholders together to work collaboratively in reducing violent crime attributed to felonious firearm use, drug trafficking and human trafficking.
“Reducing violent crime in Baltimore is job one. It’s what we in law enforcement think about morning, noon, and night,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “We will continue to do everything we can to prosecute the violent criminals who wreak havoc in and terrorize Baltimore’s neighborhoods.”
“Today our team is on-site in Baltimore to collaborate with local law enforcement officials in their mission to improve public safety and drive down violent crime,” said Jon Adler, Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance. "Through the Public Safety Partnership, we are committed to fulfilling the Attorney General's priority of supporting local law enforcement combat violent gangs, felonious firearms use and drug trafficking," added Adler.
“Reducing violent crime in Baltimore will require the hard work and dedication of people on the local, state and federal levels. This partnership is exactly the kind of collaboration that is needed to help make Baltimore a safer city,” added Superintendent Harrison.
Since 2017, the Justice Department has worked with more than 30 local jurisdictions under the nationwide PSP program. Many participating cities have already seen dramatic reductions in violent crime. New Orleans ended 2018 with 146 murders, the lowest number of murders since the early 1970s. In Milwaukee, homicides declined in 2018 for a third straight year after hitting a deadly peak in 2015.
Agencies in attendance at this meeting will include the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Maryland; the Office of Justice Programs; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the U.S. Marshals Service; the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; the Department of Homeland Security; the Baltimore Police Department; the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office; and Mayor Bernard “Jack” Young‘s Office.
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