Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed resisting legislative efforts to rein in crime-ridden cities – 'That’s not a solution'

Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed is resisting lawmakers' efforts to rein in police departments in cities with rampant crime by allowing the state to appoint an interim police chief until the crime problem is curbed.

State Rep. Reed Ingram (R-Pike Road) pre-filed the bill on Wednesday, which will be taken up in the 2025 legislative session. The bill would permit the AG or governor, in consultation with one another, to appoint an interim police chief to superintend any municipal police department if they determine that a particular and ongoing threat to public safety exists within a municipality. State Sen. Will Barfoot (R-Pike Road) is slated to carry the bill in the Senate.

Ingram announced plans to file the bill amidst clashing with Montgomery leadership and criticizing Reed for the status of crime in his city and his perceived lack of attentiveness to the growing problem.

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Thursday, in an appearance on Montgomery radio NewsTalk 93.1's "News and Views with Joey Clark," Reed bashed the proposed bill, noting that Ingram and Barfoot's Pike Road does not have a police department. He also repeated his recent mantra of blaming the crime issue on the state's permitless carry law.

Related: 'Take some responsibility': State Sen. Bell rips Montgomery Mayor Reed for blaming constitutional carry, legislature for city's violent crime wave

Related: 'Politicians want to blame somebody else': Experts, lawmakers push back on narrative blaming constitutional carry for increased crime

"They [the state] might want to take care of their own business before they try to tell mayors how to run cities," Reed said. "If you want to run cities, run cities. But to have two legislators from a town that doesn't have a police department talk about what mayors need to do, I mean that just strikes me as odd. It really strikes me as a level of irony; that's a better way for me to say it. So, you know, come with some solutions; that's not a solution. Come with some solutions that help cities and that help mayors around this state deal with reckless laws like the permitless carry bill that they passed, and these other unfunded mandates that they hand down to cities and counties that people at the local level don't understand because they don't follow state politics."

"I just think it's disingenuous for legislators to do that when, again, it smacks me of legislative overreach and preemption of local governments making local decisions, in particular when you start getting into personnel," he added. That, just to me, is not the role of the state. And I'm surprised that people who believe in small government, believe in home rule, would propose such legislation."

To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email craig.monger@1819news.com.

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