In a significant shift in Baltimore's efforts to combat violence, State's Attorney Ivan Bates has decided to sever direct coordination with the Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (MONSE). As reported by FOX Baltimore, Bates expressed concerns about the "cloak of secrecy" he perceives surrounding MONSE and its programs. Specifically, Bates criticized the Group Violence Reduction Strategy (GVRS) and programs like Safe Streets, questioning their effectiveness and transparency.
Despite Baltimore's declining homicide and shooting rates, which saw a 60% decrease since 2021, according to CBS News Baltimore, the disagreement highlights a deeper rift between local officials. In his seven-page letter addressed to Mayor Brandon Scott, Bates accused MONSE operations of hindering public accountability and victim rights, stating, "This office cannot maintain a direct association with an organization such as MONSE that has a reputation for deceptive practices, that continues to operate under a cloak of secrecy and continues to disregard the rights of the most important element of public safety, the victims."
Bates' withdrawal from coordination will not affect his office's efforts to prosecute cases brought by the Baltimore Police Department, including those designated as part of GVRS, the mayor's signature violence reduction program. However, Bates has made clear that the $80,000 earmarked by MONSE for his office's work on GVRS will not be used, signaling his office's stance of independence from MONSE's strategies and funding.
In response to the allegations, a spokesperson for Mayor Scott's office expressed a commitment to addressing Bates' concerns, emphasizing the importance of saving lives and reducing violence. "We remain deeply committed to the partnerships across the city that have driven our unprecedented violence reduction, especially our partnership with the State's Attorney's Office," the spokesperson conveyed, according to CBS News Baltimore. Mayor Scott himself credited the collective efforts of local agencies and the community in the decline of violent crime instances. Noting that as of yesterday morning, there have been 54 fewer homicides and 97 fewer nonfatal shootings compared to the same period in 2024, as the city counts the fewest homicides since at least 1970.
