Council Weighs Department of Neighborhood Safety
Baltimore's City Council will hold a final vote Monday on legislation creating a stand-alone Department of Neighborhood Safety.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Law Enforcement
The Baltimore City Council is scheduled to take a final vote on legislation that would establish a new Department of Neighborhood Safety. The bill would codify the work of the Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (MONSE) into law as a stand-alone department with added council oversight.
Why it matters
The bill would move MONSE out of the mayoralty and give the council additional oversight of its work. Supporters say police are too often called to handle situations involving mental health crises, and the department would create a response system for nonviolent emergency calls.
The bill is headed to a final council vote on Monday at 5 p.m. after advancing through a second reader, where Councilman Mark Conway voted no. Whether the measure passes will be determined at that meeting.
The players
Baltimore City Council
The legislative body of Baltimore that will hold the final vote on the proposed Department of Neighborhood Safety.
Mark Conway
A Baltimore City Councilman who voted against the bill during its second reader.
Mark Mason
MONSE's Chief of Victim Services, who allegedly advocated for the early release of Tyree Reynolds.
The details
The legislation would establish a response system for nonviolent emergency calls, including those involving mental health crises, and would give City Council additional oversight of MONSE. The proposal arrives amid scrutiny of MONSE after police say Tyree Reynolds fatally shot 12-year-old Khloe Ishway at a youth football game on Oct. 3, and MONSE's Chief of Victim Services, Mark Mason, allegedly advocated for Reynolds' early release.
Timeline
Oct. 3: Tyree Reynolds allegedly shot Khloe Ishway at a youth football game.
Monday, Nov. 9, 2026: City Council holds final vote on the Department of Neighborhood Safety at a meeting beginning at 5 p.m.
Legal Context
The proposal would convert the Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (MONSE) into a stand-alone department codified in law, shifting its oversight toward the City Council. It reflects a broader municipal effort to route nonviolent and mental health emergency calls away from police.
If passed, the department would change how nonviolent emergency and mental health calls are answered in Baltimore, potentially reducing police responses to those situations. Residents calling for help would be routed to a dedicated response system rather than police.
The takeaway
Residents who call for help in Baltimore may see a different responder if the council approves this department. Watching Monday's vote will show whether the city's approach to nonviolent emergencies changes.
What happens next
The City Council is scheduled to hold its final vote on the Department of Neighborhood Safety at Monday's meeting, which begins at 5 p.m.
Further reading
For more on how local agencies handle public safety, see Baltimore Law Enforcement coverage.
