BALTIMORE, MD (Tuesday, May 25, 2021) — As today marks one year since the killing of George Floyd, Mayor Brandon M. Scott released the following statement:

The murder of George Floyd last year provided a gut check for the nation and forced leaders to reimagine the future of public safety and policing. Since then, leaders have successfully made strides to improve transparency, integrity, and accountability, but there is much more work to accomplish. Accordingly, my administration is committed to approaching public safety as an urgent public health matter by working across city agencies to tackle the root cause of crime and widespread gun violence. And the Baltimore Police Department is addressing long-standing racial and gender disparities in their ranks by issuing a new strategic framework to advance equity later today.

We all have an obligation to prove George’s life mattered by the measures we promote and our equitable approach towards governing. Everyone must accept the moral challenge to be better and do better, and ultimately show Gianna Floyd that her father did in fact change the world.