Baltimore Will Keep Using ‘Violence Interrupters’ Following Murders, Police Commissioner Says

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Baltimore Will Keep Using ‘Violence Interrupters’ Following Murders, Police Commissioner Says

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – The US city of Baltimore will continue to scale up its use of so-called violence interrupters to address a rise in the city’s violent crime rate even after two of the interrupters were shot and killed, Police Commissioner Michael Harrison said during an interview with the Washington Post on Wednesday.

Violence interrupters are individuals, often trusted members of the community, who work alongside law enforcement to help defuse gang violence such as retaliatory killings by acting as negotiators.

Like other cities around the US, Baltimore has experienced a rise in violent crime recently, having recorded 190 murders so far this year in comparison to 183 in the same period last year. Harrison did note, however, that nonviolent and property crimes have not been on the rise.

The rise in violent crime led Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott to announce an expansive five-year violence reduction plan for the city, which is set to include the continued use of violence interrupters.

The Baltimore Police Department essentially received the same budget as last year with no cuts, allowing them to keep all positions alongside normal hiring and recruitment efforts for the force, Harrison said. He added, though, that the city has asked for additional help from the federal government to have more funding and more officials working cases on the ground.

Sourse: sputniknews.com

Baltimore Will Keep Using ‘Violence Interrupters’ Following Murders, Police Commissioner Says

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