Crime & Safety
Baltimore Violence Declared Public Health Emergency By Mayor
The mayor proposed approaching violence through public health, community engagement and interagency collaboration and accountability.
BALTIMORE, MD — Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott on Monday declared violence in the city a public health epidemic during a news conference in which he unveiled his Draft Violence Reduction Framework and Plan. The plan recognizes that violence is a public health issue in the city.
It will take a three-pronged, public health approach to violence by addressing the “social determinants of health,” City Health Commissioner Dr. Letitia Dzirasa said. They will respond to addiction and mental health and promote an upstream investment to reduce violence. Scott promised a break from past policies and practices that failed to produce long-term results.
