BY SPEAKIN’ OUT NEWS
MONTGOMERY — Montgomery Police Chief James Graboys used his monthly media briefing this week to outline recent enforcement efforts and renew his push to change Alabama’s permitless carry law, which he argued continued to limit officers’ ability to identify people prohibited from possessing firearms.
Graboys reported that MPD had filed 116 felony charges so far this month, resulting in 59 arrests, including nine suspects facing multiple charges. He also announced that investigators had taken six homicide suspects into custody in recent weeks, underscoring progress in several violent crime cases.
“Each case closed,” Graboys said. “These numbers were not just statistics. They represented our proactive efforts to maintain order and ensure public safety.”
Gun Violence Remained a Persistent Challenge
Montgomery continued to experience high levels of gun violence, a trend reflected in cities across Alabama. Although the city’s homicide pace had slowed since the pandemic-era surge, shootings remained a significant concern for local officials.
MPD’s strategy included expanded traffic enforcement, increased neighborhood patrols, and strengthened partnerships with federal agencies. Still, Graboys emphasized that Alabama’s 2023 constitutional carry law, which allowed concealed carry without a permit, created, he said, a major barrier to enforcement.
He argued that the absence of a requirement for armed individuals to carry identification made it difficult for officers to determine whether a person was legally permitted to possess a weapon.
“A person who wanted to carry a weapon in the state should have been required to carry proper identification,” Graboys said. Without it, officers could not “fully use the persons forbidden database” to hold violators accountable — a problem he called a risk to both the public and law enforcement.
Local Efforts Blocked by State Officials
Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed attempted to address the issue last year through an ordinance requiring identification for concealed carriers. However, Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall ruled the measure violated state law, preventing it from taking effect.
Activity Increased Across the City
Graboys noted that officers responded to 13,525 service calls in the past 28 days and issued more than 1,000 traffic citations, reflecting heightened enforcement.
“We were never going to stop in our fight to keep people accountable,” he said.