Flanked by nearly two-dozen cabinet officials and top state government staff, Gov. Wes Moore on Thursday reiterated his administration’s emphasis on taking a comprehensive, “all-of-the-above” approach to reducing violent crime and said he was directing some federal funds toward that goal.

The funding, $5 million from the American Rescue Plan Act passed in 2021, will go to the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services for its work with teenagers and young adults at the highest risk of being involved in crime.

Juvenile Services Secretary Vincent Schiraldi said that will include directing more resources to Baltimore City and Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Montgomery and Prince George’s counties, where his department collectively receives three-quarters of its youth violence referrals.

Part of that will be support for existing summer youth programs, like a “justice academy” that helps occupy children in Prince George’s County. The department also will launch a “rapid service and intervention” program in which multiple jurisdictions where gun violence is highest will work to quickly manage youth cases, provide “daily life coaching” and incentivize youth.

One partnership with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources will offer paid employment to youth in the justice system.

Natural Resources Secretary Josh Kurtz said participants will meet with park rangers, foresters and staff twice weekly to work on conservation projects and other jobs that improve state forests and parks.

“This hands-on job training program is going to provide our young people with the tools they need to thrive through hard skills like construction, plant identification, grounds, facility and trail maintenance — through soft skills like customer service, critical thinking, problem solving, time management, workplace etiquette, team building and safety,” Kurtz said.

Describing his administration’s “new approach” to public safety, Moore, a Democrat, for the most part re-emphasized goals to work across departments — not just law enforcement agencies like the Maryland State Police and Juvenile Services — on long-term crime-prevention tactics like providing resources for public education, behavioral health programs, job training and reentry programs for the formerly incarcerated.

As he’s done repeatedly since he took office in January, Moore also stressed the need for increased collaboration between the state and localities like Baltimore City, which had strained relationships under Moore’s predecessor, Republican Gov. Larry Hogan.

“Gone are the days when coordination breaks down, and the relationship between the executive branch and the legislative branch is frayed. Gone are the days when we strain partnerships between state government and local elected leaders in some of our largest jurisdictions,” Moore said at a State House news conference.

State Police Superintendent Roland Butler also spoke to that theme. He said the Maryland Coordination and Analysis Center, which collects and analyzes data to identify trends in criminal activity, has increased its work with the Baltimore City Police Department by 23% this year. He said the state police also are adding personnel to work with Baltimore City and Baltimore County police officers on growing vehicle thefts.

With police and community relations strained in some areas, Moore and Butler made direct pitches to the public, saying residents need to both work with police and take responsibility for keeping their own communities, and children, safe.

“Improving public safety cannot be a spectator sport,” Moore said.