Dangerous Cuts Threaten Progress in Violent Crime Reduction, Support for Victims of Crime

BALTIMORE, MD (Thursday, April 24, 2025) - Today, Mayor Brandon M. Scott called on the Trump administration to reverse its reckless cuts to public safety grants from the Department of Justice. The grant cuts, publicized Wednesday, total nearly $200 million over approximately 75 grants that support local law enforcement, victims of crimes - particularly women and victims of domestic violence - and vital community partners in our city's successful efforts to reduce homicides.

"For all their lip service about public safety, the Trump administration doesn't give a damn about it," said Mayor Scott. "They said they support law enforcement, but they're defunding programs to support public safety officers and pardoned rioters. They say they care about victims of crime, yet they're choking off resources for them. This reckless decision could undermine our record reductions in homicides and non-fatal shootings. The administration must immediately reverse course and restore this funding. Anything less jeopardizes critically important work that is saving lives both here in Baltimore and across the country."

While the city has not yet lost any grant dollars from the Department of Justice, the resources at the Office of Justice Programs and other grantmaking components reach far beyond the dollars granted. The Department has vowed to continue cutting funding for valuable community violence prevention programs: the rumored cuts also effectively eliminate much of the national training, technical assistance, and access to expertise that cities across America rely on daily to assist on challenges such as reducing violent crime and improving officer safety.

"Together, we are navigating the reality that the funding sources we rely on are under attack by an administration that does not care about victims or violence prevention," continued Mayor Scott. "Baltimore will continue to wrap our arms around one another, strengthening networks of support for those working on the ground to build a safer city together."

The Department of Justice has cancelled or removed resources for multiple public safety and community violence intervention grants. Furthermore, the Department has not been forthright with the public about which programs they have defunded or cancelled, or which grants they plan on cancelling in the future. Many of the cancellations from this week came in the middle of the three-year distribution cycle for community grants.

Some of the Departments' cuts announced Wednesday and other actions include:

• Cutting $1.2 million of a $2 million grant for LifeBridge Health Center for Hope supporting violence prevention.
• Taking down the website for the VALOR Officer Safety and Wellness Program, the nation's premier officer safety and wellness program.
• Slashing $2 million for VictimConnect, a website operated by the National Center for Victims of Crimes that connects victims to support services.
• Cancelling funding for the Training and Technical Assistance Initiative, an initiative through the Office of Violence Against Women that connects police departments with other localities.
• Cutting $750,000 for Survivors.org, an online community that provides support for survivors of sexual violence, domestic violence, and intimate partner violence.