Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin has unveiled a five-year strategic plan focused on reducing gun violence, improving public safety and addressing the conditions that contribute to violence.
Plan Targets 10% Annual Reduction in Violence
The Violence Reduction Strategic Plan, coordinated by the City of Birmingham’s Office of Community Safety Initiatives (CSI), aims to achieve a 10% annual reduction in homicides and non-fatal shootings.
Birmingham has recorded 30 homicides so far in 2026, compared with 55 during the same period in 2025. The city also experienced a 10-year low in homicides in 2025.
The plan is built around four main pillars: supporting safety and wellness, engaging and empowering the community, strengthening policy and oversight, and increasing youth safety.
Four Priorities Guide Birmingham’s Strategy
The safety and wellness pillar focuses on improving the city’s response to gun violence, crises, overdoses and domestic violence.
It also calls for a stronger community violence intervention network.
Community engagement efforts will expand resident input, strengthen local organizations and increase wraparound services.
The city also plans to improve conflict resolution, reentry programs and support for victims of violence.
Policy and oversight initiatives will focus on data-driven policing, Birmingham Police Department staffing, public safety accountability, trauma-informed strategies and efforts to reduce gun trafficking.
Youth safety will emphasize mentorship, life coaching, conflict resolution, caregiver involvement, youth justice initiatives and gun safety education.
Strategy Combines Intervention, Prevention and Long-Term Investment
City officials say the plan takes a three-part approach to reducing violence.
Intervention will focus on people at the highest risk of involvement in gun violence through violence interruption, conflict mediation, case management and other support services.
Prevention will address violence over the next five to 10 years through youth development, mentoring, education and supportive programs.
Transformation will focus on long-term investments in education, economic opportunity and neighborhood revitalization to address conditions that can contribute to violence across generations.
CSI was established in April 2024 and is led by Director Uche Bean. The office coordinates public safety efforts while treating gun violence as both an urgent safety issue and a public health challenge.
The new strategy builds on programs already underway, including CSI’s Immediate Response Action Plan, the RESTORE program for high-risk youth, hospital-linked violence intervention and community violence intervention partnerships.
The plan was developed with guidance from the National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform and included public meetings, neighborhood engagement, surveys, strategic planning sessions and feedback from community organizations and city agencies.
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