In an interview this week on the "Urbanham News" podcast, Birmingham Mayor Woodfin voiced his frustration with crime, specifically gun violence, in his city.
When asked to grade himself on crime, Woodfin wouldn't provide a letter grade but said he and the city of Birmingham deserved "a bad grade."
"Crime is more than homicides, and crime is also more than gun violence. There are all kinds of crimes against people ... and there's all types crime against property. So the level one crimes are homicides, rape, felony assaults, robbery. And then there's theft, auto theft and burglary," he outlined. "Did you know those categories are ... drastically down year to date this month, 2024, compared to the last month of 2023, with the exception of homicides and burglary. So, overall, crime is drastically down."
"I'm not sure how to give that a letter grade because I accept and respect perception is important, and when people hear gunshots too often, people don't feel safe," Woodfin stated. "So, I don't like where we are at all, and I give the city, not just me, the city a bad grade on gun violence, but overall crime collectively, rapes, assaults and thefts, all that stuff is down."
Woodfin told host Iva Williams that raising the price of bail on certain crimes would be a way to combat the increase in burglary.
"The judge's hands are tied by state law related to crimes that are nonviolent," he lamented.
"[W] e're actually arresting," Woodfin continued. "People are just getting released after they are arrested."
Woodfin noted that 40% of homicides in Birmingham were by people who knew each other on private property or in cars. He asked for listeners with ideas on how to lower that percentage to come forward.
"If anybody listening to this has a plan or an idea on how to prevent people who know each other in a house, in a car, on private property, from shooting each other, the City of Birmingham is wide open or will accept their ideas and solutions," he said. "I don't know a mayor or a police force that knows how to prevent two people in a house or an apartment or inside a car who know each other from shooting each other."
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email trent.baker@1819news.com.
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