BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) -- The Birmingham City Council approved a measure Tuesday to provide nearly $16 million in funding for the police department to hire more patrol officers.
The vote was unanimous among the eight council members who attended Tuesday morning’s meeting. Their votes will transfer $15.8 million from the general fund and fund balance reserves to the Birmingham Police Department for the “Recruitment and Retention Strategic Plan” submitted by Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin.
His plan calls for prioritizing the of hiring 172 patrol officers to achieve staff targets in Birmingham police precincts. There are 223 vacancies at the police department.
During a media briefing on Tuesday after the city council’s vote, Woodfin publicly thanked the city council for their support.
“This is a game changer for everyone to be in a better position community wide with the concerns that exist,” Woodfin said. “This is a game changer for all of us as a collective community.”
A community whose residents have voiced concerns over safety in the wake of recent gun violence that has garnered national attention. A September mass shooting in the Five Points South entertainment district left four people died and 17 others injured resulted in a heavy media presence in the city last month.
As of Tuesday, Birmingham police said there have been no arrests in the case. District Six City Councilor Crystal Smitherman, whose district includes Five Points South, said she hopes the council’s approval of the funding for the BPD’s plan will result in more officers on the streets.
“I’m hoping to see more patrol happening in our neighborhoods and entertainment districts," Smitherman said. "That’s something I hear a lot from our residents. That they would like to see the police cars more."
The mayor’s plan calls for prioritizing the hiring of 172 officers with incentives which include:
- A $10,000 sign on bonus for new officers
- A quarterly retention bonus of $2,500 for officers who have been in the department for at least two years
- Take home vehicles
“Right now in law enforcement, if you don’t have a take home car program, you’re kind of behind the eight ball,” said Rodarius Mauldin, the deputy chief of administrative operations for the BPD. "We’re happy we can provide take home vehicles at this point moving forward to our patrol division."
The program will be for officers who live in the city limits of Birmingham, and the department will start implementing the program by assigning vehicles to 50 patrol officers.
The money approved by the council on Tuesday is a one-time ask for one year. The mayor has indicated his desire to make that type of funding available for proceeding years. Future requests for funding will have presented, as with any other line item, through the budgeting process.
Homicide numbers are up in Birmingham. Numbers provided by the BPD show it has investigated 118 homicides so far in 2024 with nine justifiable deaths. That is compared to 95 homicide investigations during the same time period in 2023 with eight justifiable deaths.
Woodfin was asked Tuesday if he has full faith and confidence in Birmingham Police Chief Scott Thurmond moving forward with this effort, and he said he does.
State Rep. Juandalynn Givan (D-Birmingham) called Monday for the resignation of the police chief for failing to address what she referred to as the “never-ending bloodbath” taking place in her legislative district. There’s also an online petition circulating asking for Thurmond's resignation or removal that’s garnered over 125 signatures.