The Birmingham Crime Commission, launched several months ago to address the city’s homicide crisis – specifically gun-related murders – has completed an initial report that calls for a multi-faceted crime-fighting strategy focusing on both immediate and long-term solutions.

“The time for change is now,’’ according to the report unveiled Monday by Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin, who in October announced the formation of a 19-member advisory commission made up of business, criminal justice and community leaders.

“Birmingham’s current trajectory is untenable,’’ the commission wrote.

“But with bold leadership, innovative strategies and collective commitment, the city can transform the future and realize the vision of becoming the safest city in America.”

Birmingham ended 2024 with 151 homicides, the highest number of killings in the city in more than nine decades.

Revenge, machine gun conversion devices and mass shootings drove the number of people killed to heights not seen since 1933, when there were 148 violent deaths.

Of the 151 homicides, one involved a fatal shooting by a Birmingham police officer, which BPD does not include in its homicide count, three victims wounded in previous years who died in 2024, and 11 others that were ruled justified.

The city recorded three homicides in the first five days of 2025.

A Domino’s pizza delivery driver was shot to death New Year’s night during an apparent robbery, and another man was also shot the same day but later died.

A third man died Sunday night at UAB Hospital, hours after a shooting inside a south Birmingham home.

Woodfin said this morning it’s easy to ask what the mayor is doing or what the police department is doing.

The Crime Commission, however, adds a variety of other community stakeholders, including businessmen into the discussion.

“That perspective was extremely needed,” Woodfin said.

The Woodfin commission is co-chaired by Ralph Williams Jr., vice president of Alabama Power’s Birmingham Division, and Lee Styslinger III, Co-chairman of Altec Inc.

It is also aided by former Birmingham Police Chief and retired Lt. General A.C. Roper, the first African American officer to achieve that U.S Army Reserve ranking.

“When we put it all together, it’s a road map,” Roper said after the release of the report this morning. “There’s urgency now, but we want to maintain the momentum.”

Roper served at the BPD helm from 2007 through November 2017 when he announced his retirement following the first-term election of Woodfin, who asked all department heads to reapply for their positions.

“This is a good report that will stand the test of time,” Roper said.

The commission recommended the immediate implementation of “evidence-based violence reduction strategies including:

• Focused Deterrence: A cornerstone strategy targeting high-risk individuals and groups through a combination of enforcement, accountability and social support.
• Community Violence Intervention: Expansion of street outreach and hospital-based violence intervention programs to disrupt cycles of violence and retaliation.
• Shooting Reviews: Ongoing analysis of violent incidents to identify patterns, prevent retaliation and guide future interventions.
• Focus on Hotspots: Cleaning up hotspots in the community where violence is concentrated. This could involve additional policing, cleaning up overgrown lots and demolishing abandoned buildings.

The initial report also addressed “rebuilding the Birmingham Police Department,” by prioritizing recruitment and retention of highly qualified officers and accelerating the effort to fill the more than 230 vacancies.

Among the suggestions is to also restructure and homicide and cold case units to alleviate caseload pressures and improve case outcomes.

Homicide detectives made arrests in 57% of the killings, a dramatic increase over the 38% clearance rate in 2023.

The national average is around 57.8%.

The average recommended homicide caseload nationally is four to five cases per detective a year to really be able to focus on those cases. Some Birmingham detectives were assigned as many 16 cases in 2024.

The report also looked at the need for a unified vision and commitment of leaders across the board – police, city and community, and said there is a need for transparent updates to the public on progress.

Community-centered approaches suggested by the commission include neighborhood-based interventions and trauma-informed strategies to address the trauma caused by violence through victim support services, mental health resources and restorative justice practices.

Economic and social stability was also addressed, which includes investment in education, job training and other pathways out of poverty.

As for the city’s youth, the commission recommends expanding mentorship programs, after-school programs and recreational activities to divert the youth from criminal activities. Specifically, one suggestion included reimplementing the Police Athletic Teams league.

“The city,’’ the report states, “has a unique opportunity to reverse its trajectory of violent crime through focused deterrence, shooting reviews and the integration of street outreach with hospital violence intervention programs.”

“Beyond the Violence” is collaborative partnership between AL.com, The Birmingham Times and CBS42. Support her work here.