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I’M GUY RAWLINGS AND I’M SHERRI FAULK, NEW AT TEN. CITY OFFICIALS ARE SHEDDING LIGHT ON WHY THERE ARE MIXED OPINIONS ABOUT BIRMINGHAM REIGNITING ITS CITIZEN PATROL BOARD. DESPITE THE MEASURE PASSING YESTERDAY. WE’VE LEARNED FROM COUNCIL PRESIDENT DARRELL O’QUINN THAT, ACCORDING TO A REPORT IN APRIL, OUT OF ABOUT 725 SWORN POSITIONS WITHIN THE BIRMINGHAM POLICE DEPARTMENT, THERE ARE CLOSE TO 300 VACANCIES. �������� 13 S GLADYS BAUTISTA JOINS US LIVE NOW IN GLADYS. BECAUSE OF THIS, O’QUINN SAYS HE VOTED YES. YEAH THAT’S RIGHT. HE AND FOUR OTHER VOTED FOR OTHERS VOTED YES FOR THE CITIZENS OBSERVER PATROL, WHILE ONE PERSON VOTED NO AND THREE OTHERS ABSTAINED. TONIGHT, SOME CITY OFFICIALS ARE DOUBLING DOWN ON THEIR SUPPORT FOR BIRMINGHAM’S NEWLY APPROVED CITIZENS OBSERVER PATROL. COUNCIL PRESIDENT DARRELL O’QUINN VOTED YES TO THE PATROLS CREATION YESTERDAY. THIS IS THE TYPE OF SOLUTIONS. YOU KNOW, THE OUTSIDE OF THE BOX THINKING THAT I’VE CERTAINLY ENCOURAGED THE MAYOR TO CONSIDER, UM, TO, TO TO SORT OF FILL IN THE GAP UNTIL WE CAN SOLVE FOR, UH, BUILDING OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT BACK UP BIRMINGHAM POLICE CHIEF SCOTT THURMOND EXPLAINS THE CITIZENS OBSERVER PATROL BEING THE EYES AND EARS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR AFTER MEETING REQUIREMENTS LIKE NOT HAVING A CRIMINAL HISTORY, PASSING A BACKGROUND CHECK, AND GOING THROUGH A PERIOD OF TRAINING THROUGH THE BIRMINGHAM POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE CIVILIAN VOLUNTEERS WILL PATROL THE STREETS IN CITY VEHICLES AND REPORT ANY INCIDENTS TO POLICE. THEY WILL NOT, HOWEVER, BE ABLE TO MAKE ANY ARRESTS OR CONFRONT PEOPLE DURING CRIMES. IF THOSE INDIVIDUALS DO TRY TO INSERT THEMSELVES INTO SITUATIONS THEY’RE ACTING OUTSIDE OF, WHAT THIS PROGRAM UM, ENTAILS. OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS LIKE HUNTER WILLIAMS, WHO VOTED NO, EXPRESSED CONCERNS AT TUESDAY’S COUNCIL MEETING. I UNDERSTAND THAT WE SAID THERE’S GOING TO BE TRAINING, BUT FOR ONE OF THESE CIVILIANS TO GET OVER THEIR HEAD AND AND INSTEAD OF CITIZENS ON PATROL, IT’S A TRAGEDY, TRAGEDY WAITING TO HAPPEN, O’QUINN SAYS. IN THE MOST RECENT REPORT HE RECEIVED OUT OF ABOUT. 725 SWORN LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER POSITIONS WITHIN THE CITY OF BIRMINGHAM. THERE ARE ABOUT. 296 VACANCIES. IT’S WHY, WITH ITS PASSAGE, LEADERS ARE NOW LOOKING FOR 200 VOLUNTEERS. COUNCILWOMAN JORDAN ALEXANDER WAS AMONG FOUR MEMBERS WHO ABSTAINED FROM VOTING. IT’S JUST THE SAFETY OF THE INDIVIDUALS THAT WILL BE PARTICIPATING IN THIS PROGRAM. O’QUINN BELIEVES THERE WILL BE OPPORTUNITIES GOING FORWARD FOR COLLABORATION ON WHAT THE PATROL WILL LOOK LIKE. THE MAYOR AND THE CHIEF ARE CERTAINLY, UH, OPEN TO THE COUNCIL’S FEEDBACK IN THAT REGARD. AND, UM, SO, UH, YOU KNOW, I EXPECT THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS WILL BE AN ONGOING CONVERSATION AND. AS FAR AS SAFETY CHIEF THURMOND SAYS THAT WHEN CITIZENS DO GO OUT AND PATROL, THEY WILL NOT BE ALONE. THEY’RE LIKELY GOING TO BE OUT IN PAIRS OF TWO. NO WORD YET ON WHEN THESE TRAININGS MIGHT START. FOR NOW, THEY’RE LOOKING FOR 200 VOLUNTEERS. LIVE AT CITY HAL