Birmingham police propose $16 million recruitment plan

THE GLOCK SWITCH. PARC BACK TO YOU GUYS. BRITTANY MAGDALA. THANKS. WELL, THE CITY OF BIRMINGHAM IS WORKING TO ENSURE RESIDENTS SAFETY IS A TOP PRIORITY. TODAY, THE CITY COUNCIL HOLDING A SPECIAL MEETING ON THEIR EFFORTS. WVTM 13 BRYCE OSELEN IS CONTINUING OUR TEAM COVERAGE TONIGHT AFTER COUNCILORS REVIEWED THE POLICE DEPARTMENT’S PLAN TO PROTECT AND SERVE BIRMINGHAM MAYOR RANDALL WOODFIN HAS A PLAN TO FILL VACANT POSITIONS IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. I CAN TELL YOU FOR THE YEAR OF 2020, 2021, 2022 AND 2023 COMBINED, ALL THOSE FOUR YEARS, CITY OF BIRMINGHAM HIRED 168 OFFICERS FOR THE HEFTY PRICE OF $16 MILLION. BUT UNFORTUNATELY, IN THAT EXACT SAME WINDOW COMBINED RETIREMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS EQUAL HIGHER THAN THAT NUMBER, WHICH HAS CREATED THE GAP IN UNFILLED POSITIONS. THE MAYOR SAYS FUNDING WILL BE USED FOR HIRING AND RETENTION BONUSES, AND HE TALKED SPECIFICALLY ABOUT PATROL OFFICERS. THE NUMBER WE DESIRE IN PATROL. IT HAS IT HAS 440 OFFICERS. I WANT TO TELL YOU THAT WE HAVE A SHORTAGE OF 172 COMBINED FOR ALL FOUR PRECINCTS IN PATROL. AGAIN, THAT EXACT NUMBER OF SHORTAGE OF OFFICERS IS 172. THE WORK THAT THE MEN AND WOMEN OF BIRMINGHAM POLICE DEPARTMENT TO DO EVERY DAY IS IS MIRACULOUS. AND I KNOW THAT WE’RE FULLY STAFFED. IT’S JUST THAT MUCH MORE THAT WE CAN DO AND SERVE OUR CITIZENS, THAT MUCH BETTER. SO I HAVE FULL CONFIDENCE IN IN THIS PLAN. THE COUNCIL STILL HAS TO VOTE ON THE PLAN. WHAT WE HAVE PRESENTED TO THE COUNCIL IS OUR WAY THROUGH RECOMMENDATION FROM REALLY, REALLY HARD WORK OF LEADERSHIP OF THE BIRMINGHAM POLICE DEPARTMENT THROUGH A VERY AGGRESSIVE, INTENTIONAL, STRATEGIC RETENTION AND RECRUITMENT PLAN IS TO BE IN THE BEST POSITION TO NOT ONLY HIRE, BUT ALSO RETAIN THE OFFICERS. WE IN BIRMINGHAM