A Key Initiative in Birmingham Crime Commission Report: ‘Rebuild’ City’s Police Department

By Barnett Wright The Birmingham Times The Birmingham Crime Commission on Monday delivered a long-awaited report on gun-related murders in the city which reached historical levels in 2024. The 66-page report contains more than a dozen recommendations including four “key supporting initiatives” including “excellence in law enforcement (rebuilding the Birmingham Police Department;” “leadership and governance”; “community-centered safety framework” and “economic and social stability.” Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin formed the commission in October 2024 made up of residents and leaders from business, community, criminal justice, health care, and non-profits to address the city’s alarming homicide rate. Birmingham ended 2024 with 151 homicides, the highest number of killings in the city in nearly a century. Already in the first five days of 2025 three more homicides were recorded including a Domino’s pizza delivery driver shot to death New Year’s night during an apparent robbery. The commission’s report touches on a widely discussed subject by city leaders and residents regarding the historic gun violence and whether BPD has enough staffing to address the crisis. Under “Rebuilding the Birmingham Police Department (BPD)” on Page 8 of the report it suggests “acceleration of efforts to urgently fill more than 230 current vacancies [in BPD], ensuring...