Sandtown-Winchester Community Celebrates 10 Years of Anti-Violence Work

Leaders say day-to-day efforts are key to preventing violence in the West Baltimore neighborhood.

Mar. 19, 2026 at 1:54am

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This year marks the 10th anniversary of Sandtown-Winchester's anti-violence initiative, led by the Safe Streets Sandtown program. Despite challenges, the community has seen a historic reduction in homicides and credits the work of trusted local violence interrupters for making progress. With support from Catholic Charities, the program connects residents to conflict mediation, housing, mental health services, and job training.

Why it matters

Sandtown-Winchester has long struggled with high rates of violence, but the community-based Safe Streets program has demonstrated the power of grassroots, "credible messenger" approaches to public safety. The program's success over the past decade offers lessons for other neighborhoods seeking to reduce violence through local engagement and support services.

The details

Safe Streets Sandtown site director Nicole Warren has been mentoring the next generation of violence interrupters, including Davon Crawford. The program successfully mediated 91 potentially violent conflicts in 2025 alone. With help from Catholic Charities, they connect residents to housing, mental health care, and job training in addition to conflict resolution.

  • This year marks the 10th anniversary of Sandtown-Winchester's anti-violence initiative.
  • In 2025, Safe Streets Sandtown successfully mediated 91 potentially violent conflicts.

The players

Safe Streets Sandtown

A community-based anti-violence program operating in the Sandtown-Winchester neighborhood of West Baltimore.

Nicole Warren

The site director for Safe Streets Sandtown, who has been mentoring the next generation of violence interrupters.

Davon Crawford

A violence interrupter who has been mentored by Nicole Warren as part of the Safe Streets Sandtown program.

Catholic Charities

An organization that has partnered with Safe Streets Sandtown to connect residents to housing support, behavioral health care, and job training.

Arnetta Shelton

The chief of community violence intervention for the Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement, who praised the work of Safe Streets Sandtown.

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What they’re saying

“To see that happen, that means someone is working, and the somewhere is my team.”

— Nicole Warren, Site Director, Safe Streets Sandtown

“It definitely changed, because violence was very high when I was growing up, and we didn't have the resources that we have now.”

— Davon Crawford, Violence Interrupter, Safe Streets Sandtown

“You can tell that there has been violence prevented. So, they've done a good job with spreading the word that they're around.”

— Des'mon Simmons, Community Member

“The work that we're seeing in Sandtown is transformative. I think that what we have and what we build on is the credible messenger. Seeing the people that are from this community investing and co-producing public safety is critical. They're game changers.”

— Arnetta Shelton, Chief of Community Violence Intervention, Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement

“I go home with a smile every day that I'm out here changing lives.”

— Davon Crawford, Violence Interrupter, Safe Streets Sandtown

What’s next

The Safe Streets Sandtown program plans to continue its day-to-day efforts to prevent violence in the community, building on the progress made over the past decade.

The takeaway

Sandtown-Winchester's successful anti-violence initiative demonstrates the power of community-based, "credible messenger" approaches to public safety. By connecting residents to conflict mediation, social services, and job opportunities, the program has helped reduce violence and transform the neighborhood.