Montgomery official says violent crime has fallen as police recruitment surges

Speaker 1, an unidentified city official, told attendees that the City of Montgomery has seen measurable reductions in violent crime over the past two years. "Homicides are down 28%. Nonfatal shootings are down 37%, and overall, violent crime is down 24%," the official said, attributing the trend to coordinated work by local and federal law enforcement and community leaders.

The official credited partnerships that include the Montgomery Police Department, Montgomery County Sheriff Derek Cunningham and federal partners — the FBI, ATF and U.S. Marshals — for helping drive down shootings and homicides. "We see our partners in law enforcement really helping us drive down, violent crime," the official said.

The city also reported substantial interest in law enforcement careers: "This year alone, Montgomery Police Department has received nearly 1,000 applications," the official said, and noted the city recently welcomed its largest recent academy class. To retain and attract officers, the city plans pay studies and has budgeted signing and retention bonuses "that will bring us to the top of, police departments in the state," the official said, without providing specific salary figures in the briefing.

City leaders framed public safety as tied to community well-being and local economic stability. The official emphasized that reductions in crime reflect both proactive policing and community partnerships and said recruitment remains a priority because new hires must still pass training and vetting processes before joining patrol ranks.

Next steps: the city will continue recruitment and retention measures, complete pay studies and work with regional and federal partners to sustain downward trends in violent crime.