Birmingham’s mayor on Tuesday announced an advisory commission of more than 20 business, community and law enforcement leaders who will identify strategies to reduce homicides in the Magic City.
Mayor Randall Woodfin said the group will present its initial findings within 60 days.
“Coalition can’t just be a word; it has to be an action,” Woodfin told the City Council before he introduced several of the commission members.
The money for the commission’s work will come from private dollars. According to the mayor, the Birmingham Police Foundation will be a key player in supporting the fact-finding work as well as implementing the commission’s recommendations.
The announcement comes as Birmingham leaders face increased calls to tamp down on violent crime in light of an increasing homicide rate. Those calls only strengthened after a shooting at Five Points South earlier this month left four people dead and 17 injured.
City leaders this year have implemented several programs toward the goal of reducing crime, and the council this month approved a $15 million police recruitment and retention package.
The new commission will be co-chaired by Ralph Williams Jr., vice president of Alabama Power’s Birmingham Division, and Lee Styslinger III, co-chairman of Altec Inc.
According to city officials, former Birmingham Police Chief A.C. Roper will also help guide the group’s work.
“We all feel a sense of urgency and share the mayor’s belief that these senseless killings must come to an end,” Roper said. “We will be looking for best practices that are working elsewhere and what has the best chance to make a difference in Birmingham.”
Woodfin said the commission is modeled after one the city organized in the 1990s under Richard Arrington’s administration during a period of surging violent crime. Using other cities as models, it provided a number of short-term and long-term recommendations to improve police operations, refocus resources and improve community relations, according to city officials.
“Turns out those strategies then led to a decrease in crime,” Woodfin said.
Other members of commission announced Tuesday include:
- Jefferson County District Attorney Danny Carr
- Jefferson County Health Officer David Hicks
- Jefferson County Circuit Judge Michael Streety
- Jefferson County Circuit Judge Shanta Owens
- Leroy Abrahams, executive vice president at Regions Bank
- Tracey Morant Adams, senior executive vice president at Renasant Bank
- Chris Anderson, chief of Police at Talladega College
- Emory Anthony, attorney
- Frank Barefield, chair of CrimeStoppers of Metro Alabama
- Thomas Beavers, pastor at New Rising Star Church
- Patrick Davis, special agent in charge at U.S. Secret Service-Birmingham Field Office
- Monique Grier, director of Jefferson County Youth Detention Center
- Jeff Kerby, director of UAB’s Division of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery
- Phillip Harris, Vestavia Police Department, retired Birmingham Police Detective
- Carnelle Howell, senior managing director at Howell Consulting
- Jamey McMahon, chair of Ligon Industries
- Chris Nanni, CEO of the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham
- Arnee Odoms, communications manager at Birmingham Promise
- Bo Walters, president of Dunn Construction.
“We look forward to the work these volunteers, who already lead in our community, will do and what they will present back to us,” Woodfin said
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