Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan cites the Baltimore mayor’s plan to set up a task force to help cut the Department of Police’s budget.
Mayor Brandon Scott on Thursday planned to set up a task force that will determine the most effective ways to reduce the police budget over five years, Fox 45 Baltimore said.
“The governor has committed record funding to the fight against violent crime in Baltimore City and will continue to do so despite the mayor’s reckless agenda,” Hogan spokesman Michael Ricci said in a statement to Fox News.
Mayor Brandon Scott is leaving his vehicle to pick up lunch on Dec. 18 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Michael Robinson Chavez / The Washington Post via Getty Images)
“As my government works tirelessly to re-introduce policing in Baltimore, we must ensure that city resources are used effectively and efficiently,” Scott said in a statement to Fox 45. ‘The task force will be tasked with identifying the reduction that can be held accountable over time by creating a blueprint that will divert appropriate service requests so that officers can focus their efforts on reducing violent crime. ‘
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But in a Friday interview on WBAL Radio’s The C4 and Bryan Nehman Show, the governor expressed “indignation” at the mayor’s “crazy” remarks about the plan.
“I was shocked and furious yesterday at the mayor’s crazy comments about his desire to defend the police and reduce their budget and shrink the next five years,” Hogan said during the interview. “It’s the worst possible thing to do to stop the violent crime in Baltimore City.”
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Hogan also noted that “the people of Baltimore are very concerned about violent crime, as are people across the state,” adding that “city leaders and lawmakers continue to fight all efforts to stop this crime.”
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan speaks at a news conference at Maryland State House on Friday, April 17, 2020 in Annapolis, Md. (AP Photo / Brian Witte)
Scott’s office did not immediately respond to Fox News’ query.
Baltimore continued to experience a large number of homicides and shootings, despite a decline in many categories of crime during the coronavirus pandemic last year. In 2020, for the sixth year in a row, the city witnessed 300 murders, while more than 1,000 shooting incidents were recorded.
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Scott’s announcement of the task force comes as a number of major cities are grappling with increasing crime amid demands by residents and local and national lawmakers to “defend” police departments and allocate the money to other community services and initiatives.
The calls to renovate police departments followed the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Daniel Prude and others who were involved by officers and which caused great protest and unrest.
Cities like Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York City, Portland, Ore., And Austin, Texas, have shifted money from police departments to social services programs. Such cuts have led some departments to lay off officials, cancel recruitment classes or withdraw their work objectives.
Fox News’ David Aaro and Stephanie Pagnones contributed to this report.