Baltimore is a proud, energetic city caught in a downward spiral of violence and crime. Last week, Gov. Larry Hogan announced new initiatives to crack down on Baltimore’s most violent criminals, including expanded patrols by Maryland State Police and tougher sentencing laws for repeat gun offenders. Confronting the most violent criminals in Baltimore is vital, … Continued

Police recruitment is a major challenge in Baltimore City. Mayor Catherine Pugh, Police Commissioner Kevin Davis and the City Council are all hard at work on the issue, and creative ideas — like offering housing incentives to officers who want to live in Baltimore City — are starting to emerge. More good ideas are likely to come from … Continued

Here is a new idea: Maryland could create a Baltimore police reform fund that would tie a stream of annual grants for the Baltimore Police Department to successful implementation of the consent decree. The grants would be dedicated exclusively to recruiting, training and retaining officers.

Rather than fighting over Safe Streets, the mayor, the City Council and our Maryland state legislators should be thinking bigger and debating how to meaningfully address the alarming growth and scale of violence.