City leaders demand transparency in Baltimore's Safe Streets program

BALTIMORE -- WJZ is hearing from city leaders after Thursday's oversight hearing about the hiring practices of the Safe Streets program.

The Safe Streets program has come under a lot of criticism in the past year - with questions about their transparency with funds and a former employee who was investigated by the FBI.

But there has also been success in their efforts to intervene and prevent gun violence in Baltimore city.

"I'm not calling for the defunding of any solution toward solving crime - what I'm calling for is simply putting money where we're seeing results," Baltimore City Councilman Isaac "Yitzy" Schleifer said.

Schleifer is calling for more transparency from the Safe Streets program.

In an oversight committee hearing Thursday - city leaders heard from Stefanie Mavronis - who is the director of the Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement - also known as "MONSE."

"Upon taking office, Mayor Scott came to MONSE with a clear ask...and that was I believe in Safe Streets, we want to support the work, but have a need to assess and strengthen that work and take a stepped-up role in our oversight," Mavronis said.

That's where the Councilman Schleifer and the MONSE agree. The need for more oversight of where tax payer money is going and the viability of the actual work to not only intervene - but actually solve crimes to make neighborhoods safer.

"We know for communities where Safe Streets operates, this work is saving lives, this work is allowing things that are otherwise petty disputes, to not escalate into violence or someone losing their life," Mavronis commented.

This has worked in places like the Penn North neighborhood - who recently celebrated 365 days with no homicides. But Councilman Schleifer wants to expand those practices beyond that area and improve other parts of Baltimore in critical need.

"Just right outside those borders, we saw an increase in shootings and homicides taking place, so we really have to find solutions to actually drive down the crime and not just displace it," Schleifer explained.

The Safe Streets program continues its efforts to combat violence, aiming to stabilize its operations and fill key leadership positions. They are seeking community members committed to making Baltimore a safer place.