Earlier this week, the City of Birmingham released the "Birmingham Crime Commission Report," which takes a comprehensive look at the city's rising violent crime and homicide rates.
One section, taking up nine pages of the report examines the Birmingham Police Department, shows the great challenges facing the men and women of the department who put their lives on the line each day for the residents of Birmingham.
The report came out just weeks before the release of the mayor's vanity project, his memoir. The memoir is about his leadership, presumably written during all the free time that the mayor had from the comfort of a secure location with his private police detail while the rest of the city and the officers who defended it faced the deadliest year in city history.
The staggering data includes personnel data showing:
“As of 2024, the department operates at only 73% strength for sworn officers, with 617 positions filled and 233 vacancies. Civilian staffing fares slightly better at 80%, but vacancies still hinder operational efficiency. To address these shortages, the department has set ambitious goals to expand its workforce to 1,000 sworn officers and 271 civilian staff."
"Achieving these numbers is crucial, not only to enhance community policing and reduce response times but also to expand specialized units that address complex crimes.”
One of the biggest problems is retaining staff on the patrol unit, which has a high turnover rate. The proposed solutions include: "The Patrol Bureau is focused on addressing morale and efficiency issues. Plans include installing audio-visual equipment in precinct briefing rooms to improve communication and providing community engagement tools such as gun locks and child car seats to build public trust. Introducing fitness incentives and shift differential pay are additional steps aimed at retaining current staff and attracting new recruits."
"Underlying these challenges is the historic issue of budget constraints. The department's goals—from increasing personnel to upgrading facilities and technology—require significant financial investment. Competing priorities within the city's budget further complicate efforts to secure necessary funding. However, the department emphasizes that these investments are not optional but necessary to ensure the safety and security of Birmingham's residents."
Another problem addressed is: "Detectives often lack proper training to deliver effective courtroom testimony, weakening case outcomes and public trust in the judicial process."
The report also discusses the need for upgraded vehicles, equipment, GPS trackers, drones and more.
Woodfin's book will be available to the public on January 21, and there is concern that the mayor's focus will be on book sales rather than addressing these problems.
Woodfin's publisher describes his leadership and the city by saying, "Today's Birmingham—led by Mayor Randall Woodfin—is a phoenix rising from the ashes of systemic racism and white flight. This first Southern city to pluck the feathers off Jim Crow, where peaceful protestors endured attacks by police dogs and flesh-tearing high-pressure water hoses, and where children locked arms and sang "We Shall Overcome," is a living, breathing redemption story."
Apryl Marie Fogel is a Birmingham resident who frequently appears on and guest hosts radio programs around the state. She can be reached at aprylmarie.fogel@1819news.com or on X and Facebook at @aprylmarie.
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