Montgomery Residents Voice Safety Concerns at City Council Meeting
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WAKA) — One day after Mayor Steven Reed proclaimed that overall crime in Montgomery is down 18%, residents attended Tuesday night’s City Council meeting to voice concerns that they still do not feel safe.
One by one, citizens took to the microphone to share personal experiences and call for action from city leaders.
“It’s about the fear and uncertainty that remains for every member of our community,” said Willie Smith, whose wife, Barbara, was killed in February 2020. He told council members the suspect remains free, despite a BOLO (be on the lookout) issued three months ago.
Smith expressed frustration over what he described as a lack of communication from the Montgomery Police Department, saying officers are stretched too thin to update him on the case.
“I stand before you today and ask for more resources, support, and urgency in solving this case,” Smith said.
Laurie Morris, a local mother, shared a recent incident at the East Montgomery Baseball and Softball Fields, where a gun accidentally discharged during an argument between two adults. She was at the field with her children when the shot was fired.
“I’m so grateful that the bullet missed all the children this time,” Morris said. “But if nothing changes, it might not be the case next time.”
Morris urged the council to enact legislation ensuring swift arrests and prosecution for anyone who brings a weapon to youth events, especially in city and county parks.
“I hate that we live in a time where guns are pulled out at Little League games,” she said. “But I’m not here to debate why that is. I’m just here to ask what we can do about it. We need action.”
Another man shared that his son, a disabled veteran, was shot on April 28. He claimed no police report regarding his son was filed at the time of the incident.
“My son did not get a report written on him until I took him to the VA,” he said. “The Montgomery Police Department was called and came out. It was then that a report was written — approximately four to five hours after the shooting.”
Other residents echoed calls for greater safety measures. “Safety is important to every citizen in the community, and we need to feel safe,” one said.
City Councilwoman Julie Turner Beard responded by suggesting the possible reintroduction of park rangers to help protect public spaces, especially since the police department is extremely understaffed.
