Editor’s Note: This is an opinion column.
By Paul DeMarco
We have had another tragic loss of a member of Alabama law enforcement with the death of Bibb County Sheriff’s Deputy Brad Johnson.
He was shot and killed in the line of duty by a repeat felon who had previously been arrested on 46 criminal charges and was a violent offender. The same offender shot another Bibb County Deputy, but he is fortunately on the road to recovery. The day before the Bibb County shooting, a Homewood police officer was severely injured in a wreck while pursuing a man who had been charged with murder and had bonded out of jail.
These are two instances in Alabama of felons who should have never been on the streets endangering public safety. How many deaths and injuries must be inflicted by repeat criminals before our Alabama leaders step up and take action?
The spike in crime has citizens around the Nation outraged and looking to leaders to act. Even liberal San Francisco just recalled their weak district attorney last week, and Los Angeles looks poised to do the same. Alabama citizens are no different in feeling frustrated by the rise in violent crime. In the city of Birmingham alone, this past spring, murders were up by more than 62 percent compared to 2021.
The average Alabama citizen may feel like they are powerless to do anything to decrease the crime in their communities, but they are not. They must hold accountable any sheriffs, judges, prosecutors, or lawmakers who put politics first or neglect public safety in favor of a misguided attempt to “save money,” especially when you consider that additional crimes by repeat offenders ends up costing society (and new crime victims) significant dollars.
And this is an election year, where many of these officials will be on the ballot in the fall. So Alabama voters should do their homework — and if any of these leaders are not part of the solution in addressing the violent crime problem — then the voters should give them the boot.
In the meantime, to determine why we have violent offenders with lengthy records continue to prey on citizens, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey and Attorney General Steve Marshall should act immediately.
Four years ago, Governor Ivey and General Marshall stepped up to reform a broken parole board when the state parole system was systematically releasing violent inmates back on the street. The two successfully shepherded through legislation that has led to a parole board that puts public safety first, despite endless criticism by soft-on-crime pundits.
Alabama families suffer because ruthless felons were set free by a failed criminal justice system.
Now it is time to examine why so many violent felons are being released back to the street early or on bond though they have a history of violent offenses. A task force should be created immediately and start with looking at why the felon responsible for Deputy Johnson’s death was not in prison. Stakeholders in the criminal justice system, including crime victims, should propose new legislation to effectively improve public safety in Alabama. Attorney General Marshall has already outlined some of what needs to be addressed by state representatives and senators to correct failures in our state. Governor Ivey should then call a special session to consider and pass this legislation. There is no reason to wait another eight months when the Alabama legislature goes back into regular session to make the changes needed for public safety.
The family and colleagues of Deputy Johnson and crime victims all across Alabama deserve no less.
Paul DeMarco is a former member of the Alabama House of Representatives and can be found on Twitter @Paul_DeMarco.