Woodfin tasks new commission with reducing homicides

 1657033880 
1729072957

Former Birmingham Police Chief A.C. Roper speaks at a press conference at Birmingham City Hall on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024.

Noelle Annonen, WBHM

Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin announced a new advisory commission Tuesday tasked with finding ways to reduce homicides in the city. 

Leaders in law enforcement, the business sector, religious groups and others will draw inspiration from violence reduction methods proven by cities from around the country. 

“Good mayors steal the best ideas from other cities and you find those ideas and you tailor them to your city,” Woodfin said during the press conference at city hall. 

Private funding through the Birmingham Police Foundation will support the commission’s work as the 21 members gather information on strategies that will help reduce gun violence in Birmingham. They plan to give the city an initial report on their recommendations sometime in the next 60 days.

“The beauty of this is it won’t be me or the mayor’s office or the [city] council getting in their way,” Woodfin said. “So they’ll take the lead on how they go about pulling their information; looking under the hood, if you would.” 

The commission will be co-chaired by Lee Styslinger III, co-chairman of Altec Inc., and Ralph Wiliams Jr., vice president of Birmingham’s division of Alabama Power. Former Birmingham Police Chief A.C. Roper, who is advising the commission, says homicides are particularly difficult to combat.

“The bottom line is this homicide issue is a wicked problem,” Roper said. “And by that, I mean, it’s complex. It’s resistant to change and resistant to common solutions.” 

The move comes after four people were killed in a mass shooting in Five Points South last month. Woodfin said while the city struggles with many types of crime, the citizen commission’s singular purpose is to address reducing homicides. According to al.com Birmingham has had 130 homicides this year as mid-October. The Gun Violence Archives reports that three of those were mass shootings, defined as shootings in which four or more people were killed. The city could set a new record for homicides in a single year.

 

Mariska Hargitay walks a fine line in ‘My Mom Jayne’

It's natural to feel some skepticism when a celebrity makes a documentary about their own family. But Law & Order star Mariska Hargitay' tells a story that is both effective and empathetic.

Ukraine says it struck a Russian airbase as Russia sent drones into Ukraine

Ukraine said it struck a Russian airbase on Saturday, while Russia continued to pound Ukraine with hundreds of drones overnight, dashing hopes for a breakthrough in efforts to end the war.

‘Buy now, pay later’ purchases can now affect your credit score. Here’s what that means

Services that split up payments into installments are increasingly popular, especially among young and low-to-middle income shoppers. But now the FICO credit scoring company will be tracking that debt.

Will Trump’s megabill help Democrats win the House?

Democrats feel that Trump's tax and spending bill gives them an opening ahead of the 2026 midterms. But if they want to win back the House, they're going to have to get their own house in order first.

At least 24 dead in extreme Texas flooding. Several people remain missing

At least 24 people are dead following extreme flooding that slammed Texas Hill Country overnight on Friday, according to officials. At least 20 girls from a summer camp remain missing.

Trump says ceasefire deal is near as Israeli strikes kill 138 Palestinians in Gaza

More than 60 of those killed were waiting for aid, according to Palestinian health officials. President Trump said Friday that talks over a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas are at a crucial stage.

More Front Page Coverage