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WEBVTT VIOLENCE AND ANNOUNCED INITIATIVES TO HELP CURB THE VIOLENCE. >> THE LEVEL OF VIOLENCE IN BALTIMORE CITY IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE. REPORTER: GOVERNOR LARRY HOGAN SADLY RECALLS THE SHOOTING OF TWO YOUNG SISTERS. 7-YEAR-OLD TAYLOR HAYES WAS SHOT IN THE BACKSEAT OF A CAR. SHE DIED. A FEW MONTHS LATER. >> WE WERE STUNNED TO LEARN TAYLOR’S 5-YEAR-OLD SISTER AMY WAS SHOT REPORTER: AND THEN THERE WAS SMITH. >> A WOMAN WHO WAS TRYING TO HELP SOMEONE LESS FORTUNATE AND HER REWARD FOR THAT KINDNESS WAS LOSING HER LIFE. REPORTER: ON TUESDAY, HOGAN SAID HE’S HAD ENOUGH AND ANNOUNCED SEVERAL INITIATIVES TO CUT CRIME. ONE, IS A VIOLENT CRIME JOINT OPERATIONS CENTER IN THE CITY TO HELP GO AFTER VIOLENT CRIMINALS. IT WILL INCLUDE A STRIKEFORCE OF 16 FEDERAL AND STATE LAW ENFORCEMENT PROSECUTORIAL AGENCIES. 200 LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL WILL FOCUS EXCLUSIVELY ON VIOLENT CRIME, GANGS AND CRIMINAL ORGANIZATIONS. >> ALL TOO OFTEN CASES FALL APAR VIOLENT FELONS AND MURDERERS CONTINUE TO WALK THE STREETS BECAUSE WITNESSES ARE INTIMIDATED AND ARE TOO AFRAID TO COME FORWARD. THE HEARTBREAKING CASE OF AMY HAYES IS STILL UNSOLVED BECAUSE NO WITNESS COME FORWARD TO SHARE INFORMATION. KAREN: THE GOVERNOR IS EXPANDING PROJECT EXILE. FEDERAL PROSECUTORS CAN CHARGE REPEAT VIOLENT OFFENDERS TO RECEIVE FEDERAL MANDATORY SENTENCES. HOGAN’S BUDGET WILL PROVIDE 21 TIMES MORE STATE FUNDING THAN LAST YEAR TO HELP KEEP VICTIMS AND WITNESS SAFE THROUGH RELOCATION. >> LET ME BE CRYSTAL CLEAR. WE HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO TOLERANCE WHATSOEVER FOR THESE GANGS AND THESE VIOLENT CRIMINALS WHO ARE CAUSING LAWLESSNESS ON THE STREETS OF BALTIMORE. KAREN: LEGISLATORS PASSED A LAW LAST YEAR, CHARGING REPEAT VIOLENT OFFENDES WITH FEDERAL CRIMES BUT NOT THOSE OFFENDERS WHO COMMIT CRIMES WITH GUNS, IT IS LEGISLATION HOGAN SAYS HE WILL REINTRODUCE THIS SESSION. LIVE IN NORTH BALTMORE,

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Gov. Larry Hogan announced a series of initiatives and legislation to address violent crime in Baltimore.The governor said Tuesday he is committing nearly $13 million and introducing two new pieces of legislation to use all resources available to create the strongest state enforcement presence ever within the city."The level of violence in Baltimore City is completely unacceptable. The people who live here are rightfully scared, and citizens all across the state are outraged by the daily headlines of this rampant gang violence," Hogan said. "We are launching a new, coordinated offensive to go after violent crime, gangs and criminal enterprises."The governor announced the launch of a new, state-of-the-art violent crime joint operations center in Baltimore City that will serve as a coordinated operational hub for state, federal and local law enforcement.A newly formed special operations unit made up of an elite team of Maryland State Police troopers, law enforcement partners, a full-time dedicated lead prosecutor and analysts will be headquartered at the new facility.The new violent crime joint operations center will also house a major joint strike force consisting of 200 law enforcement officers from 16 federal, state and local state law enforcement and prosecutorial agencies, which will be focused on disrupting and dismantling the violent criminal organizations whose members commit most of the violent crimes in Baltimore City.Seven federal, state and local joint task forces will operate from the operations center, including the violent crime and gang eradication forces of the Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Baltimore Police Department; Homeland Security investigations; FBI and the U.S. Marshals Service."Gov. Hogan has made it clear that we will not tolerate ongoing violence in Baltimore City and our state," Governor's Office of Crime Control and Prevention Executive Director Glenn Fueston said. "This emergency priority plan provides record-level funding that strengthens our army of subject matter experts, expands our ability to listen to the community and bolsters evidence-based programs with proven results in all three areas of enforcement, victim services and prevention."Hogan also announced a major expansion of Project Exile, which will enable repeat violent offenders in Baltimore City to be charged with federal crimes. According to the Baltimore Police Department, 60 percent of those convicted of gun crimes in the city do not serve significant prison time. Through Project Exile, federal prosecutors will be able to charge repeat violent offenders in federal courts under stricter federal sentencing requirements. To facilitate the expansion, and in partnership with U.S. Attorney Robert Hur, the Hogan administration will provide funding for additional federal prosecutors dedicated to charging Baltimore City repeat violent offenders with federal crimes.The governor announced two new legislative initiatives aimed at ensuring repeat violent offenders are removed from the streets. The administration will introduce the Repeat Firearms Offenders Act of 2019, which the governor said will increase the minimum sentence to 10 years for repeat offenders who use a gun to commit a violent crime.The administration will also introduce the Judicial Transparency Act of 2019, which will require the Maryland State Commission on Criminal Sentencing Policy to publish detailed, judge-by-judge information on the actual sentences that are handed down for violent crimes across the state.To help ensure prosecutions are not hindered by lack of witness testimony, the governor announced more than $2 million in funding through the Governor's Office of Crime Control and Prevention for the Victim and Witness Relocation Program and $50 million to fund every eligible funding request that is received from victim service providers across the state. The is 21 times more than last year."All too often cases fall apart. Murderers continue to walk streets because witnesses are intimidated and are afraid to come forward. The case of Amy Hayes is unsolved because no witness came forward to share information," Hogan said.The governor said the initiatives will free up the Baltimore Police Department to focus on community policing and street-level crime. The administration currently provides $7 million to fund 75 Baltimore City police officers, and the governor announced that the forthcoming fiscal year 2020 budget will provide additional funding for recruitment incentives for the city police force."All of the initiatives I have announced today are about attacking this violent crime crisis with everything we've got and ramping up federal, state and local law enforcement in the city," Hogan said. "Let me be crystal clear, I have absolutely no tolerance whatsoever for these gangs and these violent criminals who are causing lawlessness in the streets of Baltimore. Enough is enough."