After years of surging violence, Baltimore’s top prosecutor says the tide is finally turning — because his office is taking repeat violent offenders off the streets.

“We had to let the criminal element know that it was a new day, that there was accountability and that you will go to prison,” said Baltimore City State’s Attorney Ivan Bates told Fox News Digital.

Bates said his crime-fighting platform was built around one promise: go after the people doing the most damage.

“When we came into office two years ago, I ran on a platform of going after repeat violent offenders… those were the individuals that we knew were causing the terror in our communities,” he said.

A Baltimore police officer attempts to secure a crime scene with tape at the scene of a shooting at the intersection of West North Avenue and Druid Hill Avenue in West Baltimore, Maryland. (REUTERS/Jim Bourg)

In contrast to the past — when violent felons could expect probation or dismissal — Bates says his office now takes those cases seriously.

“Prosecutors have to put people in jail who are bad people with guns. We have to understand that. It’s just that simple.”

Bates stressed that reducing crime also requires rehabilitation and economic stability.

A member of the Baltimore Police Department stands guard at a crime scene on Mother’s Day in the downtown area in Baltimore, Maryland, U.S., May 12, 2019.  (Stephanie Keith/Reuters)

“We want to make sure that while they’re incarcerated, they actually have the opportunity… GED, job skills and training… so that when they come home, they can actually have a job that will pay them a real wage,” he said. “If you can’t read, you don’t have a degree, what are you gonna do?”

Beyond tough sentencing, Bates points to structural reforms within his office, as he says they have grown significantly to handle the caseloads. 

“When we came into the office, there were only about 140 prosecutors… Now we have 200.”

He also hopes for additional federal grants to expand even further.

Bates underscored that crime reduction isn’t a partisan issue.

“At the end of the day, we’re focused on public safety because public safety doesn’t know any party. It should always know what’s best for the public,” Bates said. 

Baltimore City States Attorney Ivan Bates shares a laugh with members of his team outside the William Pace Elementary voting location on Tuesday.  (Kevin Richardson/Baltimore Sun/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

With murders declining, Bates believes Baltimore can restore public confidence and attract investment back into the city.

“People have hope… we’re moving in the right direction… especially when it comes to violent crime,” he said. “We need more individuals moving to Baltimore and not moving out… The number one thing is we have to focus on safety.”

Bates sees the progress as a model for other cities — especially those struggling with soft-on-crime policies.

“The most important person for fighting crime is your prosecutor… If the prosecutor says everybody goes home, then there’s turnstile… but once you go and show you are not playing, people change their attitude,” he said. “When you take the shooters and killers off the street, it’s gonna go down.”

Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime. Send story tips to stepheny.price@fox.com.