Birmingham Public Safety Task Force To Release Report In November

BIRMINGHAM, AL — The Birmingham Public Safety Task Force, formed in July to review public safety issues in the city, will release its findings in November, according to an announcement from Mayor Randall Woodfin.

As part of their research, the task force has made hearing from the community a priority. With the support of the Mayor’s Office of Peace & Policy, they have already conducted nine listening sessions; asked for feedback in a community survey, which was open for several weeks and closed on Oct. 5; and joined Woodfin in attending an Oct. 1 public hearing that was held by the Public Safety Committee, which is chaired by Councilor Hunter Williams.

Two more virtual listening sessions are planned for October:

• Friday, Oct. 9 at 11 a.m. with the Birmingham Business Alliance. Visit this link to register.
• Monday, Oct. 12 at 12 p.m. with Community Activists. Visit this link to register.

Due to the number of community stakeholder meetings that have been held and are planned in the coming days, the task force set November as a release time for the report so they will have adequate time to hear all stakeholders’ feedback and incorporate any additional information into the final report, Woodfin said.

Woodfin announced the task force this summer following a national movement known as 8 Can’t Wait. The Birmingham Police Department is in alignment with the standards of 8 Can’t Wait, which highlights eight issues facing law enforcement and the public.

The task force members are:

• Jaselle Houghtlin – A recent UAB graduate and co-founder of the advocacy group, Listen
• Cara McClure, co-founder of Black Lives Matter Birmingham
• Victor Revill, a Birmingham Attorney with Revill & Associates
• Ed Watkins, a former Birmingham police detective
• Joyce Vance, former U.S. Attorney of the Northern District of Alabama