Mayor Scott Discusses Gun Tracing & Community Violence Intervention Groups With President Biden
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- The Mayor's Office said that Mayor Scott discussed the need for gun tracing and community violence intervention groups with President Biden Wednesday.
Scott joined several other leaders across the country at the White House Wednesday to discuss violent crime prevention efforts.
"We have people who mediate things like Baltimore (Community) Mediation Center. All of those folks will be putting in proposals and we'll be investing in organizations and neighborhoods we know can reduce violence," Mayor Scott said Wednesday.
The Baltimore Community Mediation Center trains conflict resolution and offers free confidential mediation services.
"The kinds of cases I know people get killed in every day. I see those kinds of cases come through the mediation center every day," said Executive Director Erricka Bridgeford on Thursday. "People think 'Talkin' won't work. Show me how talking will work!' And, talking is the only thing that's really going to work, because people need to feel heard and understood."
Bridgeford is the founder of Baltimore Ceasefire 365. The next ceasefire weekend is scheduled for Aug. 6-8, where life-affirming events are planned citywide.
The White House announced Baltimore is one of 15 cities set to receive federal funding for community violence intervention programs.
President Biden announced executive action on so-called "ghost guns," privately made firearms practically impossible to trace.
Last year, "ghost gun" seizures jumped 334 percent from 29 to 126. City police are on track to seize more than 200 this year, according to BPD.
"We are seeing these guns show up at our crime scenes. We are seeing these guns show up in the hands of our youth. We are seeing these guns in the hands of those most at risk," BPD Deputy Commissioner Sheree Briscoe said Tuesday.
