Judiciary Committee restores Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement, approves FY26 budget report with violence-interruption changes

The Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety voted 4–1 on June 25 to approve its Fiscal Year 2026 budget report and recommendations, reconstituting the Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (ONE) and folding multiple violence-interruption programs into a single, executive-managed unit under assurances negotiated with the mayor.

The committee met in Room 500 of the John A. Wilson Building and reconvened the previous afternoon’s markup to finalize the committee’s BSA (Budget Support Act) recommendations and the committee budget report. Chairwoman Brooke Pinto (Ward 2) said the report was developed after “months of hearings, testimony, meetings, and other forms of public engagement” and presented a set of investments aimed at interrupting cycles of violence, supporting public-safety workers and bolstering foundational community needs.

The committee’s amendment reconstitutes ONE and directs a merged approach for violence-interruption programs. Chairwoman Pinto described an agreement signed by the mayor and committee leadership that she said includes new training, reporting, benchmarking and an advisory team to oversee implementation. “I believe in and have always believed in violence interruption in our city and the ability when implemented correctly to save lives,” Pinto said, adding that the committee and executive negotiated “many assurances and a signed agreement, which we will circulate to the public, to improve the program and outcomes.”

Key funding highlights presented by Pinto included an investment…