Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott has announced the city will draw the neighborhood boundaries of its nine police districts, and he is asking for the public’s input.

During a Friday morning press conference at police headquarters, Scott said “Our current districts failed to efficiently and adequately distribute police resources.” He added that residents “have not asked, but demanded that we make these changes to put our officers where they are needed most and to allow their districts to respond in a more efficient fashion.”

Boundaries have not been redrawn since 1959.

New districts would allow the police department to function better, would facilitate engagement between law enforcement and communities, and would make for a safer city, Scott said.

Police Commissioner Michael Harrison said this is a step in the right direction for Baltimore.

“The intent of our redistricting plan is to keep neighborhoods together, manage the crime more effectively in each of the geographical areas, create better alignment for the crime reduction strategy, optimize resource allocation for smarter policing and provide officer workload balance,” Harrison said.

And getting input from those who know Baltimore best, he said, is vital.

“Instituting this public input before and after the new maps are determined allows residents to be a part of this important process.”

City residents can view their neighborhood boundaries and submit feedback on the Baltimore Police Department’s website