Department of Neighborhood Safety

Our Mission

The Department of Neighborhood Safety (DNS) is a new City government agency that will be established by ordinance to provide, coordinate, and support community-based public safety services and strategies. These services will include alternative response and the existing work of the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (MONSE), including violence prevention and other non-law enforcement initiatives designed to promote community safety and individual well-being.

Our Work

Once fully operational, DNS will include two key services. (1) It will codify the critical work of MONSE and Baltimore’s existing community violence intervention programming. MONSE’s staff, work, and mission continue uninterrupted. (2) It will establish a formal, coordinated alternative response system, focused specifically on response to nonviolent emergency calls. 
 

Next Steps:

• Legislation Introduction – On September 14, 2026, Council President Cohen introduced legislation to establish DNS on behalf of, and in partnership with, the Scott administration.
• Hiring Process – The City will conduct a nationwide search for an Executive Director to oversee the Department, who will go through a formal City Council confirmation process, and a Deputy Director to oversee the alternative response service within DNS. MONSE Director Stefanie Mavronis will remain in her role within the new agency.
• Organizational Structure – The incoming Executive Director and Deputy Director for Alternative Response will work alongside Director Mavronis and key partners, including fellow public safety agencies and service providers, to shape the structure of the agency.
• Community Engagement – The process of creating DNS will include robust community engagement to ensure residents' voices are incorporated into the new agency and build understanding about the new agency’s role in Baltimore’s public safety sphere. The City will share information about these engagements once they are scheduled, and encourage residents to attend.
   

FAQs

When will DNS be fully operational?

Establishing DNS will be a process; standing up an entire agency can't happen overnight. As was the case for GVRS, the City will only take steps forward with implementation when the infrastructure and staff are in place to be successful. While MONSE's work will continue uninterrupted, alternative response service won't be fully operational until the agency is staffed and structured. The anticipated timeline will depend on a number of factors, including passage of legislation, hiring of the Executive Director, and development of alternative response structure and capacity.

How will this department be structured initially?

The department will consist of key functions including alternative response and violence prevention. While an organizational chart has not yet been finalized, it is important to note the functions that live within MONSE will continue and now be housed within the new Department.

Where is the funding for DNS coming from?

Mayor Scott's 2027 Fiscal Year budget allocates more than $16 million to support the establishment of DNS, including: $12.4 million to replace the CAD system, including $8 million in State funding; $3.4 million in Opioid Restitution Fund dollars to support the initial planning phase; and $1.0 million in federal funds to expand alternative response team capability.

What will this mean when I call 911?

DNS is not yet fully operational, so nothing changes in the immediate term when you call 911. In an emergency situation, 911 operators will still direct Police, Fire, or EMS to respond. Currently, the city has a 911 diversion pilot program that triages eligible 911 calls to a clinician within the call center, 988, or the city's co-response team, which includes a team of police officers and a licensed clinician.

Once DNS is fully operational, operators will have a fourth option: Police, Fire, EMS, or DNS. DNS responders will be trained professionals who are not law enforcement. They will respond to eligible calls that do not require an immediate law enforcement or public safety response. Examples of calls that might warrant an alternative response include welfare checks or public nuisance calls.

What does this mean for MONSE?

The Mayor is proud of the incredible work MONSE has done to bring homicide rates in Baltimore to record lows. The creation of this new Department to include MONSE's work as a core function and expand the ever-important work of alternative response is a possibility in large part because of MONSE's success in addressing violence as a public health issue. With additional funding from Opioid Restitution money and federal funds, the Mayor now has the opportunity to provide even more comprehensive services to City residents in need of a response that is not law enforcement related.

What's the future of 988? Does this replace it?

This won't replace 988. Residents should still call 988 for non-emergency connections to counselors, substance use recovery services, and other resources.

Is this related to the Consent Decree?

Under the Consent Decree, Baltimore City has an obligation to provide 24/7 comprehensive 911 behavioral health crisis diversion with an alternative response when law enforcement isn't necessary or appropriate. The establishment of DNS will bring the City closer than ever to fulfilling this responsibility.