Woodfin Named 2026 Crime Stopper of the Year
Crime Stoppers of Metro Alabama will honor Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin for his public safety efforts at its annual Hoover luncheon
Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin has been named the 2026 Crime Stopper of the Year by Crime Stoppers of Metro Alabama, an award recognizing individuals who have made significant contributions to public safety and crime reduction.
Woodfin will receive the honor during the organization's annual Crime Stopper of the Year Luncheon on Wednesday, July 22, at the Finley Center in Hoover. The event brings together law enforcement leaders, elected officials, business leaders and community members to recognize those who have advanced public safety across the region.
Crime Stoppers said the award recognizes individuals who have demonstrated exceptional dedication to reducing crime while supporting the organization's mission of fostering cooperation between law enforcement and the public.
Mayor Woodfin was selected for what the organization described as his commitment to crime reduction and continued support of Crime Stoppers of Metro Alabama.
“Whether you’re an individual or a business, we all want our communities to be safer,” said Crime Stoppers of Metro Alabama Board Chairman J. Frank Barefield Jr. “This year, we’re recognizing Mayor Woodfin for his ongoing efforts and policies to reduce crime and make Metro Birmingham a better place to live for everyone.”
Since taking office in 2017, Woodfin has made public safety a central focus of his administration under the banner of "A Safer City for All." According to Crime Stoppers, those efforts include a reported 50% year-over-year reduction in homicides, a $15.8 million investment in police recruitment and retention to fully staff the Birmingham Police Department, construction of a $12 million Real-Time Crime Center, the recovery and tracing of nearly 5,000 illegal firearms, and creation of the city's Drug Nuisance Abatement Team to target neglected properties linked to crime, illegal dumping and blight.
Birmingham's decline in homicides has drawn attention over the past year. Crime Stoppers and city officials have credited increased community cooperation, anonymous tips, expanded technology and improved police staffing as key factors behind the reduction, while Woodfin has cautioned that more work remains despite the encouraging trend.
Crime Stoppers of Metro Alabama operates as a nonprofit organization that allows citizens to submit anonymous crime tips and offers cash rewards for information leading to felony arrests or the resolution of criminal cases. The organization says tipsters remain 100% anonymous, a model it credits with helping law enforcement solve hundreds of cases each year.
