Harrison Takes Issue With Gov. Hogan's Representation Of Crime Plan As 'Status Quo'

Baltimore City leaders responded Wednesday to a letter from Gov. Larry Hogan that criticized the city's crime plan as it offered more crimefighting resources.

"While your new crime reduction strategy takes some important steps in the right direction, much of what you propose represents the status quo and is already being done or tried before," Hogan said in the letter.

Hogan argued that the plan should set more ambitious targets for crime reduction and include more accountability and transparency measures.

Police Commissioner Michael Harrison disputed that the plan is old hat.

"It outlines many things that we do not have and have not had and it talks about comprehensive strategies to reduce crime," Harrison said. "But it's also a five-year transformational plan and it is a plan that we have not had in many years."

Mayor Bernard C. "Jack" Young stressed that reducing violent crime remains his "top priority."

"The governor pledged his support to me and we're going to keep engaging the state as we work toward solutions to make our city safer," Young said.

Young said he looks forward to meeting with the governor and lawmakers to come to an agreement on legislative proposals and other measures.

"We have to do something," Young said. "Whatever that is, I can't speak to right now. There's been nothing introduced as far as I know."