Birmingham mayor appoints commission to recommend ways to reduce homicides

Birmingham, AL-Birmingham Mayor Randall L. Woodfin today announced an advisory commission made up of business, community and criminal justice leaders to identify the most promising strategies to reduce homicides in the city.

Helping to guide the commission's work will be former Birmingham Police Chief A.C. Roper.

The 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. They will be joined by additional community members and leaders, including Jefferson County District Attorney Danny Carr, Jefferson County Health Officer David Hicks, and Jefferson County Circuit Judges Michael Streety and Shanta Owens.

"While we are working diligently with law enforcement partners at the local, state and federal level, the violence afflicting our city is ultimately an issue that we must address together as a community," Woodfin said. "This group brings together a variety of perspectives - from law enforcement to our churches, companies, and nonprofits - all focused on what we can do in the short-term and over the long-term to address the gun violence that has resulted in far too many broken hearts and lost lives."

The commission's focus is on quick assembly of information on strategies and programs that have helped other cities and jurisdictions reduce crime and especially homicides. The goal is to have an initial report to the city in less than 60 days.

"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."

The commission's work will be funded by private resources. The Birmingham Police Foundation will be a key partner in supporting the commission's fact-finding work as well as in implementing its recommendations.

The mayor's initiative mirrors a successful effort initiated in Birmingham during the 1990s, when then-Mayor Richard Arrington appointed a commission to address a surge in crime. Using other cities as models, the commission provided a number of short-term and long-term recommendations to improve police operations, refocus resources and improve community relations. Those strategies led to a decrease in crime.

"The same spirit that drove that successful effort is driving our work today," Woodfin said. "These individuals are every bit as committed to providing high-quality information to the city and achieving the same high-impact results."

In addition to Williams, Styslinger, District Attorney Carr, Dr. Hicks, Judge Streety and Judge Owens, other commission members include:

• Dr. Tracey Morant Adams, senior executive vice president at Renasant Bank
• Leroy Abrahams, executive vice president at Regions Bank
• Carnelle Howell, senior managing director at Howell Consulting
• Jamey McMahon, chair of Ligon Industries
• Bo Walters, President, Dunn Construction
• Chris Anderson, Chief of Police at Talladega College
• Emory Anthony, attorney
• Patrick Davis, Special Agent in Charge at U.S. Secret Service - Birmingham Field Office
• Monique Grier, director, Jefferson County Youth Detention Center
• Frank Barefield, chair, CrimeStoppers of Metro Alabama
• Dr. Thomas Beavers, pastor at New Rising Star Church
• Dr. Jeff Kerby, director of UAB's Division of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery
• Chris Nanni, CEO of the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham
• Arnee Odoms, communications manager at Birmingham Promise

Public link

Please use the above public link if you want to share this noodl on another website.