This dark history encompasses the killing of Freddie Gray, who died at the hands of Baltimore police five years ago last month, and countless others, including many whose names have been lost to history.
In Baltimore, after the killing of Freddie Gray, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake invited the US Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate the Baltimore Police Department.
Perhaps most alarming, three years after the Consent Decree, fewer than half of Black Baltimore residents who responded to OSI’s Blueprint for Baltimore survey even know about it.
We urge Baltimore City leadership to reduce funding to the Baltimore Police Department, currently more that $500 million per year–almost half of the city’s total discretionary budget–to be more in line with the priorities of Baltimore residents.
OSI will continue to support community and public health responses to violence, including Safe Streets and further integration of restorative practices in Baltimore City Schools and the community at large, and trauma-informed care practices citywide.
