Baltimore's MONSE directed Safe Streets contractors to apply with fake names, OIG report shows

BALTIMORE -- A new report from Baltimore's Inspector General shows employees with the Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (MONSE) told Safe Streets contractors to use fake names on contract proposals.

MONSE Director Stefanie Mavronis said policies at the time required contractors to include names with submissions, even though those positions had not yet been filled. That policy has since been changed.

According to the Inspector General's report, contracts from 2022 show MONSE employees directed contractors to plug those fake names into budget proposals, saying those positions could not be left empty.

At least nine fake names, including Allen Iverson, Lemur Jackson and Merlin Humphrey, were listed as contracted Safe Streets workers with a total of $285,000 in salary.

In a statement, MONSE told WJZ, "while there is no evidence of financial mismanagement, we firmly maintain that the handling of these contracts was entirely unacceptable, and the issue has been addressed with the MONSE staff responsible."

Safe Streets has been Baltimore's flagship gun violence reduction program since 2000. The program uses residents to "interrupt the transmission of violence" and "spread anti-violence messages and encourage positive changes" in the community, according to Baltimore City's website.

Baltimore homicides down

Last week, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott said homicides are down 24% and non-fatal shootings are down 35%.

"These are more than just numbers, these are lives saved, communities kept whole, and families that do not have to go through the lifelong pain of losing a loved one to gun violence."     

The Brooklyn community recently celebrated 400 days without a murder because of its Safe Streets encampment.

"Every day we work to maintain relationships with trust throughout the community. Every day we work to mediate disputes before they erupt into violence….gun violence," Weezy, Site Director of Safe Streets in Brooklyn Curtis Bay, said.