Governor-elect Tommy Tuberville proposes using National Guard to fight crime in Montgomery
AUBURN, Ala. (WAKA) – In his victory speech in Auburn, Governor-elect Tommy Tuberville proposed using National Guard troops to fight crime in Montgomery.
He told his crowd of supporters, “Folks, I’m going to clean up Montgomery, Alabama. I give you my word. I will make it safe to walk the streets of downtown Montgomery, even if I have to put the National Guard on every damn corner,” he said to applause and cheers.
Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed – Photo: City of Montgomery
Action 8 News contacted the office of Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed for a response to Tuberville’s statement. Reed said in an emailed statement:
“Keeping Montgomery safe is my top priority. Our officers are doing difficult, important work, and any assessment of our city should account for the progress MPD is already making.
“If Governor-elect Tuberville is proposing National Guard troops, residents deserve to know what current crime figures he is using, which crimes he expects a deployment to reduce, how much further he expects those numbers to decline and by when. He should also explain how he would distinguish the results of MPD’s ongoing work from any additional benefit of a deployment.
“We welcome effective partnerships with the state. Any proposal should include a clear mission, coordination with local law enforcement, measurable goals and transparent reporting.”
Recently, the Montgomery Police Department has touted crime statistics that have been lower than the year before as Police Chief James Graboys has presented his regular media briefings.
The mayor’s statement says that findings about the use of federal troops do not establish that Guard deployments can never help. His office says they do question whether deploying troops is a proven, cost-effective way to reduce violent crime.
