Eight years of more than 300 homicides in Baltimore; can new leaders prevent a ninth? | COMMENTARY

Baltimore closed the books on 2022with 334 homicides，与338 recorded the previous year. It was the eighth year in a row with at least 300 murders, making Charm City not only among the most dangerous major urban centers in the United States (second to St. Louis, according to the most recent FBI crime data), but its residents among the most long-suffering.

2023年，不久之后才能记录更多相同的时间，警方报告说，新年不到四个小时，在东巴尔的摩的北格洛弗街（North Glover Street）枪击死亡。仅仅三天后，16岁的学生Deanta Dorsey在he and four classmates at Edmondson-Westside High School were shotwhile standing outside the Edmondson Village Shopping Center. So far, the new year looks depressingly familiar.

埃德蒙森村大规模枪击事件发生的前一天，伊万·贝茨（Ivan Bates）担任了巴尔的摩市州检察官的工作，承诺使这座城市更安全。www.my188.com同一天，前美国众议员安东尼·布朗（Anthony Brown）被任命为马里兰州即将上任的总检察长，他们除其他外，支持州对警察不法行为的起诉。1月18日，韦斯·摩尔（Wes Moore）承诺通过在城市和州之间进行更大的合作来解决犯罪，他将宣誓就职。

All three have demonstrated a depth of understanding of the issues facing Baltimore — from too many guns to too few economic opportunities associated with systemic racism to a culture of violence and despair. And they seem willing to team with Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott and Commissioner Michael Harrison. We hope that, together, these five men can make a difference. Provided, that is, they keep the focus on the issues and the residents, rather than their relationship squabbles, as was seen between Mayor Scott and outgoing Gov. Larry Hogan, or personal problems, like outgoing State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby, who faces a federal trial on charges of perjury and mortgage fraud.

斯科特市长从他的西方地区有所改善group violence reductionpilot program, with fewer shootings and homicides in that region. But it is far too early to celebrate, given how the city’s overall gun violence numbers remain high. The efforts in the district — reducing the number of guns on the street, providing better job training and opportunities, pursuing constitutional policing with appropriate oversight — require greater investments in resources and public outreach. This is where elected leaders must have a preeminent role.

Many of the city’s toughest challenges — including concentrated poverty, the legacies of racism and the damage done by substance abuse and personal trauma — were inherited by the Scott administration. They are long-standing and similar challenges afflict many other U.S. communities. But the city’s ability to continue to weather these body blows is not unlimited. If the mayor and police commissioner expect to stay employed in their current posts, they need to deliver.

2021年，斯科特承诺每年15% reduction in gun violencefor the next five years. He is nowhere near reaching that goal, and there is a sense of great frustration in the air. Progress is slim, and patience is wearing thin. There is no bigger challenge facing Baltimore. Not today. Not tomorrow.

Five years plans are nice. But we need real demonstrable change now and all hands working toward it — with no opportunity for crime fighting left behind.

Baltimore Sun editorial writers offer opinions and analysis on news and issues relevant to readers. They operate separately from the newsroom.