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DateRankChargeDiscipline4/16/2020OfficerConduct UnbecomingP15 PWOP; Anger mgt class; 6career counseling sessions withDC Davenport and DC Praytor tobe completed prior to April 21,2021.4/16/2020OfficerUnauthorized Force; Failure to obey writtenorderTerminated4/16/2020OfficerExcessive Force; Unauthorized ForceTerminated4/16/2020OfficerViolation of City Substance Abuse ning5/7/2020OfficerAWOL; False reports or statementsCommand Discipline5/7/2020OfficerNeglect of Duty; Extra work violation; Falsereports or statementsResigned in lieu of Termination5/7/2020OfficerNeglect of Duty3 PWOP; Training on Searches5/7/2020OfficerNeglect of DutyLetter of Counseling5/7/2020SergeantExtra work violation; Uniform violationResigned in Lieu of Termination5/7/2020Correctional OfficerInsubordination; Neglect of Duty10 PWOP5/7/2020CivilianEmployee Arrest; Failure to Notify5 PWOP5/7/2020OfficerVehicle Accident3 PWOP5/7/2020CaptainDisobey order; Rude and Discourteous4 PWOP5/7/2020SergeantHostile Work Environment; WorkplaceharassmentSensitivity Training5/26/2020OfficerConduct Unbecoming, Domestic Incident,Failure to Notify, Firearms dischargeTerminated5/26/2020OfficerConduct Unbecoming, Failure to Notify,Firearms Discharge, Commission of acriminal act(employee arrest), AWOL,Violation of NCIC policyTerminated9

WHAT BPD IS DOING NOW:THE 8 CAN’T WAIT MOVEMENTMany contacted the City of Birmingham in June2020 concerning the national Eight Can’t Waitcampaign, which identifies practices and policiesthat may potentially eliminate police-involvedinjuries and death.The Birmingham Police Department already hadmany of these in place. BPD does not teach or authorize a chokeholdor strangulation techniques. BPD does teach de-escalation. BPD does have a duty to intervene. BPD does not shoot at moving vehicles, unlessthere is a direct threat. BPD does have a use of force continuum. BPD requires comprehensive reporting. BPD does include implicit bias training. BPD does include procedural justice training.10101. Ban Chokeholds & StrangleholdsChokeholds and/or strangleholds are notauthorized and are not or part of BPD’s trainingcurriculum. BPD officers are authorized to useonly department-approved techniques and/orequipment to bring an incident under controlexcept under exigent circumstances as noted inBPD department policy.2. Require De-EscalationBPD officers use certain techniques to deescalate a situation, including advisements,warnings, verbal persuasion, and tacticalrepositioning. BPD officers receive de-escalationtraining to enhance officer safety, enhance/create partnerships with the community andpublic at large, generate voluntary compliancewhen applicable, and lessen on-the-job andpersonal stressors.

3. Require Warning Before ShootingWhenever possible and when such delay will notcompromise the safety of the officer or result inthe destruction of evidence, escape of a suspect,or commission of a crime, an officer will allowan individual time and opportunity to submit toverbal commands before force is used.4. Requires Exhaust All Alternatives BeforeShootingBPD supports the practice of “progressiveapplication of force within the response toresistance continuum.” Simply put, this meansBPD uses the appropriate response during theassessment of risks in a confrontation. Eachofficer/citizen confrontation should flow in alogical and legal sequence of cause and effect inan effort to de-escalate the situation without usingforce.5. Duty To InterveneThere is no specific language in BPD policies thatreads, “duty to intervene.” However, members ofthe department must also remember that they arerepresentative of the law. Members are chargedwith upholding this vow. Also, the Oath of Officetaken by every BPD officer reflects the fact that anofficer will report all violations that they encounter.6. Ban Shooting At Moving VehiclesAn officer may not discharge a weapon at amoving or fleeing vehicle unless the officerreasonably believes that the officer or someother person is in immediate danger of death orserious bodily injury.7. Require Use Of Force ContinuumBPD officers are only authorized to use a levelof force necessary to effect an arrest. Thoselevels, which can be found in department policy,include:Level One - Officer presenceLevel Two - Verbal direction / communicationLevel Three - Physical controlLevel Four - Intermediate weaponsLevel Five - Incapacitating controlLevel Six - Lethal force8. Require Comprehensive ReportingA “Response to Resistance Information andStatement” report will be used to assist inidentifying training and equipment needs. Theforms also provide the immediate documentationof the force used so that, should a complaintbe filed, pertinent facts will be readily available.The Response to Resistance Information andStatement Report will be completed by theinvolved officer’s immediate supervisor.11

FUNDING FOR BPD IS IMPORTANTTO HELP SERVE CITIZENS(REPRINTED FROM THE BIRMINGHAM TIMES)By Barnett WrightThe Birmingham TimesDefunding the police department is a not good idea andcould cost lives, said Birmingham Police Department (BPD)Chief Patrick D. Smith. Instead, police departments needto be “re-funded” to provide improved training that willenable officers to better serve citizens, he said.“What I mean by [re-funded] is to make sure there is anallocation within the police department to ensure thatpolice officers are trained in de-escalation, [as well as torecognize] implicit bias [and] deal with people in sensitivematters,” Smith said.Some activists are calling for the defunding of policedepartments, so public money earmarked for the policecan be redirected to other areas in the community. Theidea has gained traction nationally after George Floyd, anAfrican American man, was killed by police in Minneapolis,Minnesota, two weeks ago.On Tuesday, June 9, 2020, several speakers asked theBirmingham City Council to redirect funds from the BPD’s 92 million budget to other social services.“That idea may cause other people to lose their lives aswe experiment with this notion of defunding the policedepartment,” Smith said. “[It’s better to] re-fund yourpolice department in critical areas to make sure they aremeeting the sensitivity goals and providing the high-qualityservices that citizens would like to see.”The civil unrest that started in Minnesota spread to citiesacross the U.S., including Birmingham, where 24 peoplewere arrested, 14 businesses were burglarized, and 12businesses sustained significant damage after a night ofunrest.“I understand everything the community is goingthrough. I understand the long-term displeasure of anumber of things in society as a whole,” Smith said.“What I personally don’t like is the destruction of ourown community, the destruction of businesses. Manybusinesses that exist in our society [belong to] smallbusiness owners who’ve had just as much pain anddispleasure as many of us.”12Smith said he has heard from protest groups questioningsome of the department’s policies. One group, forexample, wants a “ban” on chokeholds.“[The BPD] already has a ban on chokeholds andstrangulation,” Smith said. “Officers who use it willreceive extensive days off and will be retrained; this isnot something we use in our toolbox.”Another demand centered around “comprehensivereporting” every time there is a police shooting. That’salso already in place, said Smith, who oversees adepartment of about 900 officers.“In fact, every time we have significant use of force, suchas an officer-involved shooting, it’s handled outside of thedepartment by the [Alabama Law Enforcement Agency(ALEA)], which turns it over to the district attorney forreview. Major investigations are handled outside [thepolice department].”Accountability is all a key component of the department’sstandards, Smith said.“Since I’ve been here (in 2018) as chief there have beena total of 23 officers who have been let go from thedepartment,” he said. “Seven of them resigned underinvestigation before they were terminated and another16 were terminated. So that’s accountability for whatyou do in community and setting the standard for thepolice department and letting everyone know what theexpectation is.”According to BPD, some of the infractions have includedexcessive force; unauthorized force; discharge of firearm;several on unbecoming conduct, substance abuse, theft

and ethics violations.The unrest in Birmingham comes with crime downin nearly all categories, including rape, robbery,and aggravated assaults, according to Smith, whoexplained that violent crime has decreased 30.4percent.“There are a number of things working in our publicsafety plan for the city of Birmingham, but there is stilla lot more to be done,” he said.The number of homicides this year (43) are nearlyeven with where the city was last year at this time (45),according to officials.“Homicides in this city are always a challenge,” Smithsaid. “A lot of people think a handgun is their firstline of defense to de-escalate a circumstance. Thatshould not be the case.”Over the past two years, nearly 5,000 handgunshave been taken off of Birmingham’s streets—thoughmurder continues to be a problem, said Smith, whowas named BPD chief in June 2018.“We have to come up with various ways to wiselydisarm some of the people in the community whoshould not be in possession of handguns. When I washired, we were 140 officers below where we shouldhave been, and crime was very high in a number ofareas. Over time, we have closed that gap. We havebeen able to hire up to the numbers that we need, andwe have been trying to hire more so we can [further]reduce crime.”[Children’s of Alabama]. This is the same police departmentfor which more than 30 different medals of honor foractions of bravery and heroism within the community wereawarded last year.”Currently, many police officers are being seen throughprism of Floyd’s death in Minnesota.“Several officers in our department were very disturbedby what they saw,” Smith said of the video showingMinneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin holding Floyd onthe ground by pressing his knee into the man’s neck for 8minutes and 46 seconds, ignoring Floyd’s dying pleas of“I can’t breathe.” Chauvin has been arrested and chargedwith second-degree murder in the killing of Floyd; threeother officers on the scene where Floyd was killed havealso been arrested and charged with various offences.“I think it’s important for us to recognize that [the incidentin Minnesota is not a reflection of] every individual andall of law enforcement,” Smith added. “One incident thatoccurred in Minnesota [more than a thousand miles away]can simply erase all the hard work we’ve done, all the workwe’ve done in the community, every effort we’ve made inthe community. It was like a big eraser came and tookit all away—all the good will, all the good efforts, all thegood work of the men and women of the BPD.”A lot of the positive being done by the BPD is beingovershadowed, Smith said.“This the same police department that did the foodgiveaway [for families in need during coronavirus],did the toy drive [during Christmas], raised money for1313

CITIZENSHOW TO FILE A COMPLAINTA Police Officer’s Role in the CommunityBPD officers must, at all times, conduct themselvesin a manner that does not bring disrespectto themselves, the department, or the City ofBirmingham. If someone has a complaint againstan officer, there is a process in place to handle thecomplaint.STEPS TO FILE A COMPLAINTStep 1: To file a complaint against anemployee, contact the department’sInternal Affairs Division or a BPD policeprecinct. Contact information is on thenext page.Step 2: Additionally, you may file acomplaint, in person, at a police precinctor with Internal Affairs.WHAT HAPPENS AFTERYOU FILE A COMPLAINT?Step 1: The police department willinvestigate your complaint.Step 2: At the conclusion of theinvestigation, the complainantwill receive the findings via mail.Compliant investigations can takeseveral weeks to complete.14WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU ARE NOTSATISFIED WITH THE OUTCOME OFYOUR COMPLAINT?If you are not satisfied with the outcomeof your complaint, you may call thecommanding officer with the InternalAffairs Division at (205) 254-1742.

EXAMPLE COMPLAINT FORMComplaint FormPlease Print All InformationNorth Precinct2600 31st Avenue NorthBirmingham, Alabama 35207205) 254-2860South Precinct1320 19th Street SouthBirmingham, Alabama 35205(205) 254-2793East Precinct600 Red Lane RoadBirmingham, Alabama 35206(205) 254-2684West Precinct2236 47th Street EnsleyBirmingham, AL 35208(205) 254-2682Internal Affairs1710 1st Avenue NorthBirmingham, AL 35203(205) 254-1742BIRMINGHAM POLICE DEPARTMENTMENTAL HEALTH SERVICESBPD works hand-in-hand with mental health professionals and chaplains to ensure the needs of communitymembers are met. A Community Service Officer is assigned to each precinct. They are civilian social workerswho are called to assist police officers whenever their services are needed. BPD employs one sworn officerwho serves the department as a chaplain and liaison between the community and faith-based organizations.Additionally, multiple volunteer chaplains from the community work with BPD regularly to provide support and/or counseling services during traumatic incidents.15

HOW TO GET INVOLVEDWITH THE BIRMINGHAM POLICE DEPARTMENTTo join the Birmingham Police Academy,you must be at least 19 years old to apply. Theacademy is 20 weeks.1. Visit www.jobsquest.org (Fill out the applicationfor Police Officer/Deputy Sheriff). If you havea college degree, you must upload yourtranscript to the site. If you do not have acollege degree, you must take an aptitudetest known as the Basic Abilities Test (BAT).BATs are given at two-year colleges. Once youpass BAT, you must upload your scores intoJefferson County’s personnel board system. (Ifyou do not have a college degree, you MUSThave a high school diploma or GED. You alsoMUST also take the BAT exam.)2. While on the personnel site, pick themunicipality for which you wish to work. Inthis case, it would be Birmingham. (OnceBPD receives this notification from the JeffCoPersonnel Department, they will send you anapplication. They will also send a waiver forBPD to do a background check.)3. Those who pass the background check willbe invited to take a pre-employment physicalabilities screening, which is administered byBPD.4. The applicant will have a pre-screeninginterview/application review.5. The applicant will undergo a thoroughbackground investigation.6. The applicant will have a polygraphexamination.7. The applicant will undergo a psychologicalscreening.8. The applicant will have a medical examination.For more information, call 205-254-1712.BPD APPCOMING SUMMER 2020In another effort to remain transparentand stay connected with the public, BPDwill launch an app in the summer of 2020. Thistechnology will be a gamechanger for citizensas they will be able to look at current crime stats,access BPD social media feeds, file complaintswith Internal Affairs, gain contact informationto email BPD command staff, submit tips toCrimeStoppers, learn how to work for BPD,see Amber Alerts, check out wantednotices and more.Headquarters:1710 – First Ave. NorthMain number:205-254-1701 or al.govBPD’s Social Media PlatformsSTAY CONNECTEDWITH THE BIRMINGHAM POLICE dcaseunit@bhampolice

HOW TO JOIN THECOMMUNITY POLICE ACADEMYThis 12-week program teaches citizens what BPD recruits experience in the police academy and how BPDoperates. This academy only meets on Tuesday nights from 6 to 8 p.m. Due to COVID-19, a date for the nextsession is pending. For more information, please call Community Outreach and Public Education Division(COPE) at 205-933-4175 or send emails to bpdcommunityengagement@birminghamal.gov.BPD COMMUNITY OUTREACH SERVICESThe Community Outreach and Public Education(COPE) unit has multiple programs in place to ensurethat BPD is actively engaged in the community ina positive way. For more information on the unitand programs on this page, call 205-933-4175or send emails to bpdcommunityengagement@birminghamal.gov. Want to volunteer for different BPD events andservices? Sign up for the Voluteers in PoliceServices, which is also known as VIPS. The Explorers Program provides youth with aninside look at police operations. Police athletic teams sponsor youth, betweenthe ages of 6 to 18, in various sports programs,including basketball, baseball, softball andvolleyball. This effort allows officers to helpyouth build character. The Youth Advisory Council allows police officersto engage in open dialogue with youth betweenthe ages of 14 to 21.1717

BIRMINGHAM POLICE DEPARTMENTCOMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT18

BIRMINGHAM POLICE DEPARTMENTCONNECT WITH YOUR LOCAL PRECINCTA crime prevention officer is available at each precinct. They can offer securityassesments for residents and businesses, as well as personal safety and crimeprevention programs.Visit your precinct today to connect with your crime prevention officer, learn how tostart or join a Block Watch and learn how to sign up for Next Door via your cell phoneor computer.FIND YOURNEIGHBOORHOODNEXTDOORBIRMINGHAM POLICE DEPARTMENTLOCAL PRECINCTS:North Precinct:East Precinct:2600 31st Ave N.600 Red Lane RoadPrecinct phone number:205-254-2860Precinct phone number:205-254-2685 or 205-254-2684Community Police Relations AssistantCrime Prevention OfficerDwayne Thompson:205-254-6441 or 205-410-0232Jessica Clark Burton:205-254-6828 or 205-297-8494Email address:dwayne.thompson@birminghamal.govEmail address:jessica.burton@birminghamal.govSouth Precinct:West Precinct:1320 19th St. South2236 47th Street, EnsleyPrecinct phone number:205-254-2793Precinct phone number:205-254-2683Crime Prevention SpecialistCrime Prevention OfficerDeVoris Ragland-Pierce:205-933-4146Felicia Mearon:205-297-8353Email address:devoris.ragland@birminghamal.govEmail address:felicia.mearon@birminghamal.gov1919

BIRMINGHAM POLICE DEPARTMENTHONORS & AWARDSAs of June 2020, crime in Birmingham is significantly lower than it was this time a year ago. Violent crime is down 30percent. Property crime is down 27 percent.How we got here is largely due to the hard work of the Birmingham police officers who put their lives on the lines toserve and protect every day. They are on the frontlines, working to renew the City of Birmingham’s commitment tohaving safe, secure and sustainable communities. They are our protectors, mentors and heroes.But with the job comes challenges. Since January 2019, six Birmingham officers have been shot in the line of duty. OnJan. 13, 2019, Sgt. Wytasha Carter and Officer Lucas Allums were shot while investigating car break-ins in dow

2. Started a Rehire Program for BPD Retirees 3. Updated rules and regulations to improve standards and accountability within the department 4. Has hired more than 200 new officers to meet service calls demands 5. Scheduled four police academy sessions in one calendar year 6. COMPSTAT Crime Fighting Strategy - Accountability as it relates to crime.