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Montgomery mayor warns House Bill 14 would undermine local control of police, cites local crime-suppression gains
Summary
The mayor of the City of Montgomery opposed House Bill 14, saying it would allow state officials to take control of municipal police departments; he highlighted local crime-suppression efforts, a 39% pay increase for officers and recent drops in homicides and nonfatal shootings as evidence that local strategies are working.
Mayor, City of Montgomery, spoke against a state bill he said would allow state officials to assume control of municipal police departments and appoint police chiefs, and he urged lawmakers to work with local leaders instead.
The mayor said House Bill 14 "would strip mayors and city councils of their authority to oversee their own police departments, allowing state officials to take control without local input." He added the bill "would also give the attorney general or the governor the power to appoint a police chief, opening the door for political interference in local policing decisions." The mayor argued that local leaders "are best positioned to address crime, trends in public safety, as well as allocate resources and build trust with residents."
Why it matters: the mayor framed the bill as a potential loss of local control and cautioned that a state-appointed interim chief could "create operational inefficiencies and accountability issues" and that a city deemed noncompliant could "lose state funding, further weakening public services and local governance." He called for ongoing collaboration between municipal leaders and the legislature rather than unilateral state action.
Details and local context: in response to a question about the city—s suppression unit and recruitment, the mayor described the Montgomery Area Crime Suppression Unit as a locally conceived and operated effort and cited investments in technology and community outreach. He said the city enacted an "unprecedented 39% increase in salary and benefits that Montgomery Police Officers have received under this administration." He also credited equipment spending and partnerships with county, state and federal law-enforcement partners for recent crime trends.
The mayor provided performance figures in his remarks, saying 2024 saw a 19% decline in homicides and about a 17% decline in nonfatal shootings, and that early 2025 trends were continuing in a favorable direction. He described a strategy of "less talk, more work," and emphasized that decisions about policing should remain at the municipal level.
No formal action on state law was taken at the meeting. The remarks and a short question-and-answer exchange with a reporter relayed the mayor—s position and local crime and staffing data but did not record any vote or city-level ordinance related to the issue.
Ending: the mayor thanked reporters and closed the session, reiterating support for local collaboration among mayors, police chiefs and sheriffs to determine policing strategies that fit their communities.
