Former U.S. Sen. Doug Jones rebuked Alabama Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth on Tuesday night, criticizing the state’s second-highest ranking elected officer for “political pandering” in social media posts about two Huntsville police officers shot in the line of duty earlier in the day.

One of the officers, Garrett Crumby, died from his injuries.

Jones, a Democrat, objected to Ainsworth, a Republican, referring to the “‘woke’” crowd wanting to “defund the police.” Jones responded on Twitter, tagging Ainsworth. The lieutenant governor also posted the same comments on his Facebook page. The former senator and U.S. attorney accused Ainsworth of “pandering to his radical right base.”

Funding for Huntsville police has increased at least four straight years, according to city budgets.

Ainsworth’s full post at 9:27 p.m.: “Today’s shooting of two officers in Huntsville reminds us of the courage that the men and women of law enforcement show each time they report for duty. While the ‘woke’ crowd wants to defund the police, I believe we must provide them full resources and our prayers of protection.”

Jones’ full post in response at 10:11 p.m., made at the same time Huntsville announced the death of Crumby: “While two of Huntsville, AL’s finest fight for their lives, our Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth uses the opportunity for a political statement pandering to his radical right base. Doing so in the wake of such a tragedy is pathetic and disrespects the very officers he tried to honor. People of all political persuasions stand with Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, who said: “Our hearts are shattered. Please send every prayer you have to the officers, their families and the Huntsville Police Department.”

The city of Huntsville has increased funding for police for at least the last four years, according to city budgets. Police got a 9.17 percent increase in funding for the current fiscal year in a budget proposed by Battle and unanimously approved by the city council. That funding increase included money to hire 24 additional officers – though that authorization only provides the funds to hire the officers and not actually hire the officers. HPD has an ongoing recruitment program to attract applicants.

Since 2020, funding for police in Huntsville has increased by 21.3 percent. In the current 2023 fiscal year budget, police funding is more than $63.3 million. As the city department with the most employees, the police budget is the largest department budget within the city of Huntsville.