MONTGOMERY, Ala. – As Montgomery crime continues to be a talking point on the campaign trail, Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed talked on Tuesday afternoon about the city’s progress toward lowering crime.
Reed, to kick off the Alabama League of Municipalities annual convention’s opening session, addressed a crowd of mayors and city council members from towns and cities across the state of Alabama.
Highlighting Montgomery’s rich political history, Reed said that though the city plays a role in state government, “local government is where the real work happens.”
Reed praised Montgomery’s forward momentum in lowering long-term debt and attracting capital investment but recognized that it still has issues to resolve.
“Over the past two years, Montgomery has experienced some wins and we’ve experienced some losses,” Reed said. “We’ve made measurable progress in reducing crime but certainly not enough.”
Crime in Montgomery has been a highly discussed issue after a controversial bill to force the Montgomery Police Department to increase its staffing ranks or risk a state takeover died on the last day of the legislative session.
Senate Bill 298, sponsored by Sen. Will Barfoot, R-Pike Road, would have given the MPD five years to employ a minimum of 1.9 full-time officers for every 1,000 residents in the city.
Reed and MPD Chief Jim Graboys have previously said the city is making strides in hiring more officers. But it’s still not clear how many uniformed officers the MPD actually employs.
After several requests over the past two months, Alabama Daily News made contact with a spokesperson from the department regarding staffing levels earlier this month.
“We’re focused on overall staffing progress, including recruitment, training, and retention efforts,” MPD public information officer Lt. Tina McGriff told ADN. “We’re not providing specific staffing numbers at this time, but we’re continuing to make progress toward our authorized levels.”
Though some paint Montgomery as a city with rising crime rates, most categories of crime in Montgomery fell last year, according to data from the city.
Violent crime decreased by more than 25% in 2025, with overall crime down by around 15%. There were 61 homicides in Montgomery last year, the same number as in 2024.
Mentioning these statistics, Reed also said in his speech on Tuesday that enforcement has increased in the past two years. Arrests are up more than 40% since 2024, he said.
Even with these strides, Reed said there’s still a way to go.
“As leaders, we know that any life that’s lost or any person that’s injured is one too many, and the statistics don’t really tell the whole story,” Reed said. “People don’t feel safe, and so we have to continue to work with our local, county, city, county, state and federal partners to try to make that a reality.”
Reed and Gov. Kay Ivey, who spoke later in the program, praised the work of local leaders.
“I commend you for stepping up to make a difference for your communities,” Ivey said. “It is a big job. Truth be told, mayors and council members often have the toughest row to hoe in public service. The public depends on you for the necessities of living.”
Ivey reflected on her tenure as governor and highlighted the state’s achievements in education and economic development.
She thanked the local officials for their role in implementing some of these signature policies.
“This month, I marked nine years serving as your governor,” Ivey said. “We’ve accomplished a lot over this time… I want to emphasize the word ‘we.’ We did it together. That’s how government works best.”
The League’s conference runs from Tuesday to Thursday in downtown Montgomery.