Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin on Tuesday announced the creation of an advisory commission to stem the rise in homicides in his city.
The 19-member advisory commission will consist of business, community and criminal justice leaders.
According to Woodfin, who has been pleading for help in stopping violence in Birmingham while also being criticized for not doing enough, the commission has a "narrowly tailored focus" on combating homicides. This effort will study the best practices in other cities nationwide that have helped reduce crime, including homicides.
This is just the latest move from the Birmingham mayor following a mass shooting in his city that left four dead and 17 others injured last month. Another effort includes a $15.8 million investment for the Birmingham Police Department to recruit new officers and retain current ones.
The incident was the second mass shooting in the city in a two-month period and the third quadruple homicide of 2024.
Here are 10 steps Woodfin has taken to combat violent crime with no luck yet.
1. Push for state ban on Glock switches
Immediately after the mass shooting in September, Woodfin called for a state ban on Glock switches, which was heavily panned because Glock switches are already federally banned. Woodfin also took a shot at State Rep. Juandalynn Givan (D-Birmingham) on social media after she said Birmingham was "under siege" and criticized his legislative proposals to stop the violence, a move the mayor later apologized for.
2. Criticizing Trump for NRA endorsement
In May, former President Donald Trump accepted the National Rifle Association's (NRA) endorsement for his presidential campaign shortly after shootings in which two children were shot on Mother's Day and a 62-year-old disabled man was shot and killed in Woodfin's Birmingham.
Woodfin said Trump accepting that endorsement was "sickening" and urged more politicians to reject the NRA.
3. Pleading with Birmingham citizens
Following the Mother's Day shootings, Woodfin pleaded with witnesses or those with information on shootings to come forward and work with police to get shooters off the streets.
Crimestoppers also offered $80,000 to incentivize witnesses or those with information to come forward.
4. "Safe Streets"
In July 2023, the City of Birmingham launched a pilot program "with a mission to create a safer, cleaner community for residents in the East Lake neighborhood."
"Safe Streets is a strategic safety initiative that will limit the number of entry and exit points within a certain perimeter of homes, schools, and businesses as well as add several traffic calming measures at intersections and institute concerted blight removal efforts," the City said in a press release.
5. "We're not babysitters for children — That's not our job"
In 2023, Woodfin and Birmingham Police Chief Scott Thurmond warned parents to keep an eye on their children after a 16-year-old and a 17-year-old were both shot and killed, one of which was out in the early morning hours with "three other juveniles" who had been drinking alcohol.
"They were out damaging a vehicle, and they get subsequently shot at," Thurmond said. "Where were the parents? Did the parents know where they were? Did the parents know they were out at 2:23 in the morning? I don't think so. That's a problem. Law enforcement can't be everywhere at one time. We're not babysitters for children. That's not our job."
6. Pushing to "prevent the sale, access and ease" of guns
Following the shooting of a 12-year-old girl just before Christmas 2022, Woodfin lamented that gun laws in Birmingham were not different than "any other place in Alabama."
“I’m not given more resources to say [I] have the unilateral power to do everything you can to prevent the sale, access and ease of guns in our streets, where conflict has not changed but the access to guns, the access to this type of tool — this high-powered assault rifle — has changed, that allows people to just simply pull triggers,” Woodfin said. “If I had the power, gun laws would be different in Birmingham than any other place in Alabama.”
7. While wielding an AR-15, Woodfin vows to "turn up the heat" on criminals in Birmingham
In July 2024, Woodfin displayed an AR-15 and swung it in a way that caused some council members to ask him not to point the weapon at them. Woodfin declared, "These weapons of war don't belong on our streets."
8. Declaring gun violence a public health crisis
In 2022, Woodfin called for stricter gun measures and federal restrictions on firearms, comparing mass shootings with guns to a public health crisis tantamount to the opioid epidemic.
9. "Connect Birmingham"
The Birmingham Police Department in 2023 launched a voluntary program for Birmingham residents and businesses with cameras to register their devices with the police to help solve crimes.
10. "PEACE Campaign"
In 2019, Woodfin unveiled the City of Birmingham’s PEACE Campaign in an effort to counteract violent crime.
The campaign included a #IncreasePeace public service announcement campaign that featured 30-second videos of mothers of gun violence victims telling their stories.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email trent.baker@1819news.com.
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