West Baltimore community demands inclusion in Safe Streets or money to fight crime

BALTIMORE -- A West Baltimore community is filing a complaint against the city and asking for $5 million to fund their crime plan.

Matthew Henson neighborhood residents argue they are not included in Baltimore's Safe Streets boundaries, a program geared toward crime reduction, and they want the money to address the crime in their community.

Doc Cheatham, President of the Matthew Henson community, said the complaint is more about the safety than it is about the money.

Community leaders are giving the city the option to either redraw the boundaries for Safe Streets or give them the money to create their own crime plan.

"The boundary for Safe Streets stops right there at Fulton," Cheatham said. 

Cheatham said the Matthew Henson community, one of the largest in Baltimore, has reduced the crime rate in their neighborhood without help from the city. 

"We have two Safe Streets here and neither one of them cover us," Cheatham said. 

Cheatham said his squad of 11 conduct evening walks, deescalate tense situations, clean up their neighborhood and gather important information when crimes occur.

However, he wants the city to step in and help. 

In a complaint filed with the Baltimore City inspector general, Cheatham is asking for $5 million to go toward office space, staffing and transportation.

If the city doesn't give them the funding, Cheatham wants the city to redraw the boundary lines for Safe Streets that would include the Matthew Henson neighborhood in their watch.

"Nobody can deny we're the largest homicide district in West Baltimore and all we're asking is let us stop doing this,"
 Cheatham said. "Why not Safe Streets, why not ceasefire?

With 19 murders in his community this year, Cheatham wants everyone to feel safe.

"Our goal is to get this community protected," Cheatham said.