Montgomery mayor: crime rates falling but city to expand prevention, policing partnerships
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Summary
Mayor Steven L. Reed told listeners on his podcast that Montgomery's overall crime rate has fallen and said the city will increase proactive violence-prevention programs and continue partnerships with local, state and federal law enforcement and community groups.
Mayor Steven L. Reed said on his podcast Season 2 debut that overall crime in Montgomery has fallen and that the city plans to expand proactive, prevention-focused investments alongside continued law-enforcement partnerships. "Overall, in the city of Montgomery, our crime is down 28% the first 6 months of this year. I'll take those numbers any day," Reed said.
Reed framed the numbers against what he called a social-media-driven perception problem, saying sensational incidents often dominate online attention. "I think social media gets caught in the moment," he said, arguing that negative items surface to the top of algorithms while many positive efforts do not.
Why it matters: public-safety statistics shape residents' sense of safety and inform where officials deploy officers and services. Reed tied the city's recent decline in several crime categories to both policing and community initiatives and urged a shift toward more preventive services. "The cities that are seeing the best gains ... have been investing in proactive measures, mental health, social services," he said.
Key figures Reed gave on the podcast include a 28% drop in overall crime in the first half of the year, robberies down 41%, nonfatal shootings down about 21'22%, and homicides down roughly 17'19% (figures cited by Reed on the episode). He credited the Montgomery Police Department and a range of partners, naming the Office of Violence Prevention, the Montgomery County sheriff, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, the U.S. Marshals Service, the FBI, the ATF and the district attorney's office.
Reed said the city will increase emphasis on prevention programs that focus on youth, mental health, placemaking and partnerships with schools, juvenile court and youth services. "We have been investing in reactive services. ... We have been getting in the preventive and proactive measures of what we can do to stop people from acting out," he said, describing conversations with mayors and change agents in other cities about "place making" and long-term resource commitments from federal, state and philanthropic sources.
He acknowledged community concern when violent incidents occur locally: "If it happened in your neighborhood ... it's up a 100%." Reed said officials must both point to the overall downward trend and work with residents on targeted prevention and policing strategies. He also urged residents and organizations to partner with the city on long-range efforts.
No formal policy votes were taken during the podcast; the mayor described ongoing and planned activities and encouraged community involvement.
Reed closed by stressing the need for long-term commitment: "We're gonna have to do this together and we're gonna have to do this and be committed to the long haul."
