$3.5 million grant given to Safe Streets, Baltimore's anti-violence program

BALTIMORE - The Board of Estimates on Wednesday approved a multi-million dollar grant for the Safe Streets program.

The motion passed unanimously during its meeting.

The anti-violence program is receiving $3.5 million in state funding.

According to the agenda, the money will go toward staffing, program materials and equipment for each of the 10 Safe Streets sites.

The funding comes after the FBI raided the program's location in the Belair-Edison neighborhood last week, forcing a suspension of operations.

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott talked about the controversy and why the public should still put its trust in the organization.

The mayor also said he is open to an audit of the Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (MONSE), which oversees the Safe Streets program, to be transparent.

Meanwhile, a former staffer at the Belair-Edison location is facing charges.