Maryland Gov. Wes Moore recently declared, “Together we have broken the back of violent crime and the last time the homicide rate was this low I was not born yet.” However, his rejection of National Guard assistance has sparked debate as crime rates in Baltimore remain alarmingly high.
In the 17 days since the National Guard was deployed in Washington, D.C., Baltimore has experienced over 2,500 crimes, including six homicides, nine rapes, 426 assaults, 271 aggravated assaults, 252 auto thefts, 155 burglaries, and 439 acts of vandalism. This surge in crime is nine times greater than the violent crime rate in Washington during the same period.
Residents and business owners have expressed concern over the escalating violence.
“Just brutally attacking somebody is off the case crazy,” one victim said.
Betsy Smith of the National Police Association commented, “I’d think residents would welcome help for their very short-staffed police department.”
The discrepancy between the governor’s statements and the reality on the ground has left many questioning whether crime in Baltimore is truly under control.
“We need to stop acting tough and start getting tough in Baltimore City,” a local resident said.
Smith added, “If the people in Baltimore City want to truly be free, they need to embrace not only their local law enforcement but state and federal partners as well.”