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Hogan: Md. will aid Baltimore in violence reduction efforts
ANNAPOLIS — Gov. Larry Hogan said he is prepared to help the city with requested resources in an effort to stem the tide of a rising violence problem. 
“We’re going to provide all of the things that the city requested us to do and we’re going to try and go even further than that to do whatever it takes to provide whatever assistance we can with federal, state and local authorities to try and stop this violence in the city,” Hogan said Thursday.
When asked if he could provide details regarding the types of assistance the governor was committing to, Hogan said: “No.”
The governor and Mayor Catherine Pugh met almost a month ago to discuss ways in which the state could provide additional resources to help the jurisdiction that is increasingly beleaguered by escalated and record violence.
Hogan said he and Pugh spoke briefly about the issue Wednesday during an event for small businesses in Baltimore. He said he and the mayor are expected to meet again in about a week.
Pugh praised the governor for being receptive to the needs of the city.
“There’s not anything that I’ve asked the governor for that he’s not been willing to work with me on,” said Pugh.
Pugh, speaking Thursday, also did not provide specifics on her requests from a month ago but said some of them include funding to civilianize about 100 positions within the city police department so “we can move those officers onto the street immediately.”
Additionally, Pugh said she was hoping to start a violence diversion program focusing on young adults between the ages of 17 and 24 that would focus on job training and individual needs. She said the program would be modeled after similar efforts in Boston and other cities.
In July, Pugh said she also asked Hogan for other resources as part of an as yet to be made public violence reduction plan.
Pugh told reporters then that she was looking to other cities including Chicago and Los Angeles for how to reduce the violence in Baltimore.
Additionally, Pugh looks to expand the use of technology, including gunshot detection equipment, expanded use of surveillance cameras and automatic license plate readers. She said then that her plan would also include greater enforcement of parole and probation violations and potentially additional juvenile justice help.
There have been 206 homicides in the city so far this year — a pace that exceeds any other year in the last quarter century.
Also included in Pugh’s plan is legislation to toughen penalties for illegal gun possession in the state — a bill that has repeatedly stalled in the legislature. Pugh is hoping to pass a law that would make the crime a felony.
Last month she announced city legislation that would impose a mandatory sentence for illegal gun possession. The controversial legislation was watered down by the Baltimore City Council.
