Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott reveals crime plan; residents speak out
BALTIMORE (WBFF) — Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott reveals a crime plan with a goal of reducing violent crime by 15% for for the next five years. "This plan is not just my plan, it's Baltimore's plan. It's our plan to deal with the disease of gun violence," said Scott. The mayor describes the plan as a holistic approach to a public health crisis.
RELATED | Mayor Scott supports more federal help in the fight against crime
Scott is calling it a never-before seen crime fighting plan for the city. Others are calling it an ambitious strategy. But the people Fox45 talked to simply want to call it a plan that works.
The mayor unveiled his new crime plan in a string of news conferences Friday. The strategy includes getting all city agencies involved, looking at the root cause of crime.
But for some residents, it's rather light on police tactics--lacking a more targeted approach by police to remove violent offenders from the street.
RELATED | Mayor Scott: People of Baltimore 'are going to see impacts day one' of new crime plan
Still, the mayor is pushing his 5-year-plan to reduce gun violence by 15-percent each one those years in a city on pace to see more than 300 homicides for the seventh year in a row.
From a stop light in west Baltimore to a corner block downtown, we found residents talking about the plan.
"I mean a five year plan is a pretty long time. Murders be happening every day. So, I mean, I think there should be more proactive things happening, like today," said Kenneth Clarke.
"We're going to get another 1500 deaths in five years if we do it that way. We get 300 something a year, 5 years, 1500 people dead, that's murdered," Ashley Manning said.
Support came from Jacqalyn Campbell: "Whatever he wants to do, I believe. Because I love the mayor. Yes, and I have trust in him."
One thing that remains unclear about this plan is how much it will cost. The Mayor's Office says at least part of the payment would come through existing federal grants.