Tag: Public Safety
Mahogany Club Given Stay of Execution, New Birmingham Council Hearing Set
Once again, the Birmingham City Council is considering the closure of a nightclub due to several instances of gun violence and other crimes.
This time, the club is Mahogany Social Bar and Lounge, at 1709 Third St. W in the city’s Rising-West Princeton neighborhood.
Temple’s attempt to obtain a new liquor license and dance permit for Mahogany was met with open skepticism by many city councilors based on claims by police that the nightclub is a threat to public safety. But one councilor said neighborhood officers had written a letter supporting the club and its owner, who they said had responded to previous complaints. Read more.
Birmingham Police Chief Patrick Smith Resigns, Citing Personal Matters
Birmingham Police Chief Patrick Smith resigned Friday, saying he wanted to focus on personal matters.
Birmingham Mayor Randall L. Woodfin appointed Capt. Scott Thurmond, a 23-year veteran on the force, to replace Smith on an acting basis, according to a statement issued by the mayor’s office.
In a letter to Woodfin on Friday, Smith resigned effective Feb. 25, but he asked to be put on administrative leave with pay until then to allow him to conclude some personal business and to allow for a smooth transition to new leadership. Read more.
How many people died in homicides in Birmingham in 2021? It’s not clear.
Tracking Birmingham’s homicides for 2021 should have been straightforward. Here’s why it wasn’t. Read more.
Birmingham Delays ICE Agreement, Wants to Assure It Won’t Lead to Police Involvement in Deportations
The Birmingham City Council has delayed approval of an agreement with U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement that would appoint several city police officers as customs officers for ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations jurisdiction.
The 3-year deal would provide for the continuation of a previously established task force that District 2 Councilor Hunter Williams said is focused on “combating both human trafficking and large-scale narcotics operations in the city of Birmingham.”
Mayor Randall Woodfin asserted that the agreement would not result in deportations or administrative removal of any undocumented Birmingham residents.
“I have stated on a pretty consistent basis that the city of Birmingham does not have any interest in doing the federal government’s job, but there’s something more powerful than words, and that’s, like, your actions,” Woodfin said. “We’re not here to do the job of deportation.”
But the association with ICE — and the unclear wording of the ordinance — left both advocates and councilors dubious of the proposal. Read more.
Birmingham Debuts New Tech Hub to Help Solve Crime in Real Time
Birmingham leaders officially opened the city’s Real Time Crime Center Tuesday, a project intended to give the Birmingham Police Department new technological tools to help resolve crime more quickly. Read more.
Birmingham Applies for Grants to Beef Up Surveillance, Readies to Open Real-Time Crime Center
The city of Birmingham will apply for state and federal grants to purchase new license plate readers and high-definition surveillance cameras, the City Council decided Tuesday.
It also increased its contract for computer-aided dispatch maintenance services. The city plans to launch its “real-time crime center” later this month to combat the city’s rising rate of violent crime. Read more.
Alabama Becomes First in Nation to Certify All ALEA Officers in Sensory Inclusive Practices
MONTGOMERY — The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency is the first state police department in the country to have all of its officers certified in sensory-inclusive practices, Gov. Kay Ivey announced Tuesday. “Too often we have citizens with sensory issues or folks who have PTSD, autism, dementia and a whole host of special needs that, frankly, our heroes in blue haven’t been trained to deal with up to this point,” Ivey said. Read more.
Birmingham Police Revise Policies to Disallow No-Knock Warrants
Birmingham police will no longer use no-knock warrants such as the one that led to the death of Breonna Taylor in Louisville last year. Mayor Randall L. Woodfin, Police Chief Patrick Smith and Thomas Beavers, senior pastor of The Star Church, announced that and several other revisions to police policies and procedures during an event Tuesday. Read more.
Anti-Rioting Bill Pre-Filed for 2022 Legislative Session
MONTGOMERY — A bill that would change the definition of riot in state law and increase penalties for those who participate in one has been pre-filed for the 2022 regular legislative session. Read more.
4 Things to Know About Birmingham’s Homicides So Far This Year
Scroll in and click on each location to read more about the person who was killed. A red ‘X’ indicates a homicide. A blue ‘X’ indicates an officer-involved shooting where a civilian was shot.
The city of Birmingham has recorded 63 homicides so far in 2021, according to data from the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office.
Last year, Birmingham hit a record for the highest number of homicides in 25 years. The city’s police chief, Patrick Smith, told WBHM that even with that record high, the city fared well in comparison to other areas across the country.
“It could have been a whole lot worse,” Smith said. “Certainly, we don’t want to see the loss of life anywhere at all. And I wish that we could do more. But we’re trying to work within the confines of what we have as a department.” Read more.
