Gov. Wes Moore (D) is ordering a surge in law enforcement presence in Baltimore, following weeks of sparring with President Donald Trump (R) and his threat to deploy troops to deal with crime in the city.
Neither Moore nor Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott (D) mentioned Trump by name Friday as they announced plans for a 鈥渞enewed collaboration鈥� between the Baltimore City Police Department and the Maryland State Police. But many of their remarks responded to charges by Trump, who recently called Baltimore a crime 鈥渉ellhole.鈥�
Moore said violent crime has been dropping over the last few years in Baltimore, and that the increased police resources will continue efforts to bring down violent crime even further.
鈥淲e are proud of the progress that we鈥檝e been able to make, and we鈥檙e all very, very concerned about how much work still needs to happen,鈥� Moore said. 鈥淚f one person does not feel safe in their neighborhood, that is one too many.鈥�
The announcement came at a news conference outside St. John鈥檚 Evangelical Lutheran Church, after a brief walk through the Park Heights neighborhood by officials. Despite his high-profile聽public feud with the president, Moore insisted that Friday鈥檚 announcement was not 鈥渋nspired鈥� by recent comments by Trump.
鈥淣othing we do is inspired by the president,鈥� he said, in response to reporters鈥� questions.
While it may not have been inspired by Trump, Friday鈥檚 announcement included repeated references to the president鈥檚 continued threats to deploy the National Guard to Baltimore and other large cities, as he has done in Washington, D.C., over the last month.
Moore has repeatedly pushed back on the use of National Guard troops for crime prevention, arguing that Guard members are not trained for policing and that such a deployment would be disrespectful to them and of little benefit to residents.
鈥淲e do not need an occupation. We do not need people putting in performative and theatrical resources because they do not care about the actual results,鈥� Moore said.
Trump, who deployed Guard members and active-duty Marines to Los Angeles in June to quell immigration protests, followed up last month by sending the National Guard into Washington, D.C. The D.C. Guard members, along with Guard units from six Republican states, have been backing up local police, but have also been involved in removing homeless encampments and aiding with immigration arrests.
In recent weeks, Trump has dangled the possibility of entering other cities, like Baltimore and Chicago, that he said were 鈥渟o far gone鈥� in terms of聽 violent crime. The list has continued to grow, with New Orleans and聽聽the most recent potential targets.
Moore shot back on Aug. 21 at the president鈥檚 suggestion that troops should be deployed to Baltimore,聽聽to 鈥渒eep our names out of your mouth.鈥� Moore also invited the president Trump to come walk the streets of Baltimore to get a firsthand look at the city鈥檚 crime prevention efforts.
The back-and-forth has continued since, with Trump again disparaging Baltimore earlier this week, saying that Moore needs to 鈥済et rid of the criminals鈥� in the city.
鈥淭hese are hard-core criminals,鈥澛犅燼t a Tuesday press conference. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e not going to be good in 10 years, in five years, in 20 years, in two years they鈥檙e going to be criminals. They were born to be criminals.鈥�
Scott also did not name the president in his Friday comments but clearly referenced those comments and pushed back against Trump鈥檚 threat to deploy the National Guard in Baltimore.
鈥淲e do not need troops on our streets,鈥� Scott said. 鈥淲e do need folks who want to be at the table to recognize that the people of Baltimore are humans 鈥� that our young people are not born to be criminals. They鈥檙e resources to invest in, not problems to be solved.鈥�
Scott has a personal connection to the area where the press conference took place: He grew up in the Park Heights neighborhood, and said that he witnessed a shooting in the area growing up.
鈥淣one of us are celebrating, saying that we have solved gun violence,鈥� Scott said, adding that the use of the Maryland State Police will help provide more government resources and allow the use of evidence-based policies targeted to a continued reduction in crime.
Maryland State Police Superintendent Col. Roland L. Butler Jr. said with the renewed partnership, 鈥渢here will be no daylight鈥� between the state police department and the city police.
鈥淲e intend to go out and provide the services that you need to feel safe,鈥� Butler said, 鈥渁nd enhance the safety you already feel.鈥�
Baltimore City Police Commissioner Rich Worley agreed.
鈥淎dding additional resources to our neighborhoods is one important step towards creating safer communities and improving the quality of life in our city,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e have work to do, especially in communities like park heights.鈥�
