In a clear rebuttal to President Donald Trump's threats to deploy the National Guard to Baltimore, Governor Wes Moore has ordered a bolstering of law enforcement in the city, avoiding any mention of Trump by name during the recent press conference. The news by Maryland Matters reveals Moore's directive for a "renewed collaboration" between the Baltimore City Police Department and the Maryland State Police as a means to further drive down violent crime rates.
While the governor made it clear that his decision was not "inspired" by the president, his announcement came against the backdrop of Trump's ongoing criticisms of Baltimore's crime issues and the implied need for federal intervention. According to a report by FOX Baltimore, this city has indeed seen declines in homicides and non-fatal shootings, achieving the fewest homicides on record so far this year. Despite these historical drops, Moore emphasized, "We know what works and I know what doesn’t."
Trump's recent posture on Baltimore has softened but remains firm on his "obligation" to ensure safety, arguing the people of the city want federal assistance. "The people in Baltimore, the people in all the places we talk about they want to see us there," Trump said, as per FOX Baltimore. As a part of Moore's strategy, the surge includes additional Maryland State Troopers and officers from the Maryland Transportation Authority Police to provide more visibility in high-risk areas.
In contention, Moore has discussed potential legal responses with Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown and has reached out to other governors, indicating a coordinated resistance to any potential National Guard deployment. Highlighting the importance of community violence intervention programs, Moore argues these have played a role in Baltimore's decline in crime, a budget item that Trump proposed cutting, according to FOX Baltimore.
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