The Birmingham Times
The Birmingham City Council on Tuesday approved four items totaling $2 million in the city’s latest efforts to reduce homicides which reach record levels in 2024.
Last week, Birmingham broke a nearly century-old homicide record, as police responded to the 149th homicide of 2024, finding a man shot to death in the front yard of a home in Titusville. The previous record of 148 was set in 1933.
On Tuesday each item approved by the council to reduce violent crime is related to supporting evidence-based intervention programs all funded through the City’s federal allocation of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), according to city leaders. This includes, but is not limited to hospital violence intervention programs, street teams to provide mentorship, and other strategies related to the City’s gun violence reduction strategy.
Here’s how the more than $2 million for those items break down:
Community Initiatives, $130,350 to implement an integrated violence intervention program under the Community Safety Initiatives Immediate Response Action Plan.
Institute of Research for Social Justice in Action, $700,000 to implement a community practitioner certification and Transforming Communities Through Effective Violence Intervention Strategies program under the Community Safety Initiatives Immediate Response Action Plan.
National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform, $302,418 for the design, implementation, and refinement of the city of Birmingham’s gun violence reduction strategy (“GVRS”) and community violence intervention (“CVI”) ecosystems under the Community Safety Initiatives Immediate Response Action Plan.
Trajectory Changing Solutions LLC. $700,000 to create street outreach programs.
There’s also $297,582 for the Offender Alumni Association, which helps gunshot victims think twice about retaliation.
“As chair of Public Safety for the Birmingham City Council, I stand firmly with community-based organizations that are working tirelessly to intervene in cycles of violence and provide support for victims of gun violence,” said Councilor LaTonya Tate. “By meeting victims where they are and equipping them with essential resources, we aim to not only address their immediate needs but also prevent the heartbreaking consequences of retaliatory gun violence.”
She added, “Our approach is rooted in compassion and prevention—offering tailored resource packets, access to counseling, and opportunities for healing that empowers victims and their families to break the cycle of harm. Together, with our community partners, we are committed to fostering a safer, more supportive city for everyone.”
Uche Bean, the director of Community Safety Initiatives, pointed to work by OAA which in one year has seen over 120 people participate, and none of the victims have retaliated or gone to jail because of their incident as an example of the success that program have.
OAA is expected to help expand its success outside of the trauma unit and into the emergency room, where the victim’s friends and family are awaiting positive news.
“We’re able to go over and talk to them, but not just them, but there’s a host of other people that are hosting them and surrounding them. They may be thinking retaliation, too. We want to change those people as well,” said Lacrecia Day, who is with OAA.
A change Bean says won’t happen overnight but is worth waiting for the results.
“The ARPA money may run out, but I think if we show proof and results that it will incentivize others to be heavily invested in this work that we’ve seen nationally,” Bean said. “We use people with lived experiences that can go and connect with the community.”
