Baltimore City Council approves new Department of Neighborhood Safety to handle nonviolent calls

BALTIMORE, Md. — The Baltimore City Council took its final step toward creating the new Department of Neighborhood Safety.

In a vote of 13 to 1, the City Council passed the legislation on third reader Monday evening. The department is expected to handle nonviolent emergency calls in the city.

Council President Zeke Cohen said in a statement that the testimony he has heard has made it clear that help is not always arriving fast enough.

"[The testimony] made it crystal clear that people calling for help with mental health emergencies are not always getting the right care fast enough," Cohen stated. "That is the promise at the heart of the Department of Neighborhood Safety."

Mayor Brandon Scott said he is grateful for the passage, stating "I look forward to signing this bill in the near future so that we can continue laying the foundation for this critically important work."

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