Gov. Larry Hogan has called a meeting of Baltimore officials who work in criminal justice about the “tragic and disturbing" homicide rate in the city.

In a letter to the Baltimore City Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, the governor asked to meet with judges, prosecutors and politicians to have a “frank and honest discussion” about “what can be done to improve outcomes.”

“The tragic and disturbing violence being experienced in Baltimore City demands collaborative responses from partners at all levels of government,” Hogan wrote. “Our administration stands ready to continue supporting and working with Mayor Pugh, local and federal law enforcement, and all city leadership to combat this crisis and help ensure the safety and well-being of city residents.”

The letter was released Tuesday.

The meeting will take place at 11:30 a.m. Aug. 29 at the governor’s Baltimore office at 6 St. Paul Street.

Hogan said earlier this month he was concerned that 60 percent of gun offenders convicted in Baltimore have more than half their sentences suspended — a frequent complaint expressed by police.

“I’m going to ask the judges directly, ‘What does it take to get these repeat violent offenders off the streets?” the Republican governor said at the time.

Members of the coordinating council include representatives of the mayor’s office, the Baltimore Circuit Court and the City Council, as well as prison officials, prosecutors and police. The body meets monthly, and its meetings are typically open to the public.

Hogan, however, plans to close the meeting to the public and news media, said spokeswoman Amelia Chasse.

“This isn’t an official meeting of the council, it is a private discussion with the governor acting in his capacity as governor at his office to have a frank, open, and very serious discussion about Baltimore violent crime, including high-level security and judicial issues,” she said in an email.

Maryland law requires public bodies to allow people to observe their discussions when a quorum of that body is discussing the public’s business. But the Baltimore City Criminal Justice Coordinating Council does not fall under the definition of a public body, according to the Maryland Attorney General’s Office.

While the governor can facilitate discussion, he does not have authority over most of the people expected to attend the meeting.

Representatives of the judges and the prosecutor’s office have declined to comment on the meeting.

Baltimore is facing its highest homicide rate on record this year. Violent crime is up 15 percent year over year.

This month, Mayor Catherine Pugh named a new director of criminal justice and released an updated plan that she said will stem Baltimore’s persistent violence. In announcing the plan, the mayor laid out steps her administration has already taken to bolster policing, including putting more officers on patrol and improving police training and technology.

The mayor has called for a holistic approach to fighting crime — including engaging youths, promoting community health and developing jobs. And she proposed making Baltimore City Community College free for city public school graduates beginning the fall of 2018.

lbroadwater@baltsun.com

twitter.com/lukebroadwater