Governor Ivey Celebrates One-Year Success of MACS Unit in Montgomery

A year after launching the Metro Area Crime Suppression (MACS) Unit, Governor Kay Ivey is celebrating its impact on violent crime in the Montgomery area.

“The results speak for themselves. Violent crime is on the decline and more criminals are behind bars today in Montgomery thanks to this joint anti‑crime effort launched a year ago,” Governor Ivey said.

Since it began on June 24, 2024, the MACS Unit—made up of officers from ALEA, the city and county police departments, ATF, and the Attorney General’s Office—has tackled crime with impressive results. In just over four months, MACS carried out nearly 3,100 traffic stops and served 983 arrest warrants. They arrested 429 people, including 30 minors, removed 268 illegal guns and 164 machine‑gun conversion devices from the streets, and recovered 69 stolen vehicles.

“The MACS Unit’s channeling of resources toward increased criminal surveillance and enforcement has delivered positive results. The City of Montgomery recently announced violent crime in the Capital City is down by 30 percent and overall crime has declined by 19 percent,” Ivey added.

ALEA Secretary Hal Taylor echoed the praise, saying MACS was formed “to meet a rising need for a focused, mobile team that could assist in taking violent offenders and illegal weapons off our streets… nothing short of extraordinary—and it would not have been possible without the steadfast support of Governor Kay Ivey and the Alabama Legislature.“

Funding from the 2025 State legislative session has strengthened MACS’s reach. The Secure Alabama Public Safety Package includes the “Back the Blue Immunity Bill,” which shields law enforcement in the line of duty, steeper punishments for repeat firearm offenses, and a ban on machine‑gun conversion devices.

“Preserving public safety is an essential role of government at every level and it makes sense to join the intelligence gathering and crime-fighting resources of state, federal and local agencies to tackle violent criminals and keep our communities safe. I am pleased to have supported the creation of the MACS Unit, and this legislative session, I was proud to continue funding this successful crime fighting effort,” Ivey said.

“I am also proud to have championed the Safe Alabama package of legislation that passed into law this session to bolster law enforcement statewide in their continuing mission to protect our streets from violent criminals. One of its chief provisions is the expansion of law enforcement civil and criminal liability protection.  Alabama proudly backs the blue in our continuing commitment to protect the public,” Governor Ivey concluded.

MACS officers have gone after violent crime with big, visible action. From regular traffic checkpoints to warrant sweeps, they’ve focused on problem areas and dangerous offenders. The drop in crime rates—30 % for violent incidents, 19 % overall—reflects that targeted approach. These results are backed by data from the City of Montgomery and ALEA .

Lawmakers and law enforcement expect this model to grow. Ivey has proposed expanding MACS to cities like Birmingham and Mobile, giving them a permanent squad to fight crime statewide.

As MACS marks its first anniversary, Governor Ivey and ALEA say the unit is here for good—and ready to bring that same safety boost to other parts of Alabama.