ANNAPOLIS, MD—Governor Larry Hogan on Friday announced a $150 million Re-Fund The Police Initiative to provide much-needed support and resources to state and local police agencies in their efforts to fight violent crime. Coming at an especially challenging time for members of law enforcement across the country, this initiative is the first in a series of announcements the governor will make to support the police and make neighborhoods safer.

“Trying to reduce crime by defunding the police is dangerous, radical, far-left lunacy,” said Governor Hogan. “The reality is that our police are underfunded and under attack. To reverse the tide of rising crime, we need to stop demonizing and sabotaging the dedicated men and women who risk their lives every single day to keep the rest of us safe. We cannot defund the police, we need to re-fund the police.”

The governor’s $150 million Re-Fund The Police Initiative includes:

$120 Million for State and Local Police Agencies

• $45 million to increase police aid to local jurisdictions by 50% statewide, including a pro-rata share for Baltimore City
• $50 million for salary increases and hiring bonuses to ensure competitive compensation at state police agencies
• $24 million to create a new Accountability Resources Fund, which will be used to provide more body cams, de-escalation training, and other critical tools for state and local police agencies
• $1 million for the Maryland Chiefs of Police Association and the Maryland Sheriffs’ Association to further expand operational training and support

$10 Million for Safer Neighborhoods

• $10 million in Neighborhood Safety Grants through the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development’s Main Street Maryland Program to support hardware upgrades, lighting, cameras, and increased security services for community organizations, business districts, and Main Streets
• A 100% state-funded match for all Crime Stoppers rewards that lead to arrests

$20 Million for Victim Protection

• $14 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds to restore drastic cuts by Congress to Victims of Crimes Act (VOCA) funding for victim services providers

Last month, the governor sent a letter to Maryland’s congressional delegation noting that “if these devastating federal cuts are not reversed, these organizations will serve far fewer victims in the coming year and the progress we have made to build up the infrastructure and capabilities of these nonprofits will be greatly diminished.”

• $6 million to restore cuts by the Maryland General Assembly for critical victims programs and initiatives, including the Sexual Assault Reimbursement Unit, the Safe at Home Address Confidentiality Program, the Crisis Intervention Team Center of Excellence, the New Futures Bridge Subsidy Program, the Regional Navigators Program, and Community Service Coordinators

The governor will announce additional initiatives in the coming weeks to further support law enforcement, hold violent criminals accountable, and increase accountability for prosecutors and judges.

On Monday, October 18, Governor Hogan will address a joint conference of the Maryland Chiefs of Police and Sheriffs Associations in Ocean City.

Friday’s announcement can be viewed in the video below.