* Warning: This is an unofficial, introductory copy of the bill.
The official copy considered by the City Council is the first reader copy.
Introductory*
City of Baltimore
Council Bill R
(Resolution)
Introduced by: Councilmember Scott
A Resolution Entitled
A Council Resolution concerning
title
A Baltimore Comprehensive Gun Violence Reduction Strategy (Live to BMore)
For the purpose of calling on the Mayor of Baltimore, the Baltimore City Health Department, the Baltimore City Police Department, Baltimore City Public Schools, and all other relevant agencies to develop a Comprehensive Gun Violence Reduction Strategy for Baltimore.
body
Recitals
Gun Violence is a disease that is plaguing many Baltimore neighborhoods and taking the lives of too many young Baltimoreans. For many years Baltimore looked at gun violence as simply a police issue with no connectivity to the other city agencies. However, in recent years that has begun to change with Baltimore doing away with Zero Tolerance Policing and introducing programs like Safe Streets and Ceasefire.
However, even with these great and significant changes there is still a great need for a Comprehensive Gun Violence Reduction Strategy in Baltimore similar to Nola For Life in New Orleans. New Orleans, a city similar to Baltimore, has had great success with the Nola For Life Strategy since it was launched in 2012 seeing an 18% reduction in homicides.
Nola for Life has utilized a public health approach to reducing violence since its launch in 2012. A central part of the public health approach to address violence is the socio-ecological model, which was adapted by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). As explained on the Nola for Life website, this model takes into account the interplay between individual, relationship, community, and societal factors:
• Individual - Biological and personal history factors that increase the likelihood of becoming a victim or perpetrator of violence, including age, behavioral control, substance use, or history of abuse.
• Relationship - Close relationships, such as partners, social-circle peers, and family.
• Community - The settings, such as schools or neighborhoods, in which social relationships occur and that may be associated with risk of violence.
• Societal - The broad societal factors, such as social and cultural norms, that help create a climate in which violence is encouraged or inhibited.
Now, therefore, be it resolved by the City Council of Baltimore, That the Council calls on the Mayor of Baltimore, the Baltimore City Health Department, the Baltimore City Police Department, Baltimore City Public Schools, and all other relevant agencies to develop a Comprehensive Gun Violence Reduction Strategy for Baltimore.
And be it further resolved, That a copy of this Resolution be sent to the Mayor, the Health Commissioner, the Police Commissioner, the Chief Executive Officer of Baltimore City Public Schools, and the Mayor’s Legislative Liasion to the City Council.