New Bill to Allow Joint Appointment of Interim Police Chief
Earlier this month, Representative Reed Ingram from R-Pike Road pre-filed a bill that would enable the governor and state attorney general to jointly select an interim police chief to manage local police departments.
There was a similar proposal debated during the 2025 legislative session, but it didn’t advance, as legislators were focused on Governor Kay Ivey’s key priorities. Ingram mentioned the importance of this bill during an interview, emphasizing that last year’s version had significant support but lacked the necessary amendments at the time.
The updated House Bill 36 now includes a requirement for both the governor and attorney general to agree on the appointment of an interim chief. Ingram stated that this collaboration aims to prevent the law from being used for “political revenge.”
“We have interventions in schools that the state executes,” he noted. “If a school doesn’t perform, the state steps in. The same logic applies here: if cities are struggling with crime and law enforcement recruitment, we’re here to help.”
The bill mandates that the governor and attorney general examine crime statistics, check that law enforcement personnel are at least 30% of the department, and discuss the situation with local district attorneys, sheriffs, and crime victims within the municipality.
“This bill is not about undermining city governance; it’s purely for public safety,” Ingram insisted.
He also pointed out that there’s no requirement for a mayor to have extensive qualifications, implying that sometimes it comes down to popularity. “I’m not suggesting anything’s wrong currently, but we should always be prepared,” he added.
The interim police chief would operate under the authority of both the governor and attorney general, without influence from the mayor or city council.
When asked if a specific city had influenced this bill, Ingram referred to crime rates in Bessemer and the challenges faced by Montgomery in police retention. “Montgomery’s mayor, Steven Reed, does a decent job, but recruiting and keeping officers is a struggle,” he observed.
Ingram mentioned that throughout the last session, he maintained regular communication with the Attorney General’s Office and the Governor’s Office regarding the bill’s development.
“The Attorney General’s office played a role in drafting this with my ideas on interventions,” he explained. “We ensured the governor’s office was updated whenever changes were made prior to the bill being shelved.”
He noted that he has had discussions with the governor and the Speaker of the House about future legislative efforts.
“This time, I sense we might gain more traction. We’re observing what’s happening with various local governments both in our state and across the country,” Ingram expressed.
At one point in the conversation, he compared his proposal to the situation during President Donald Trump’s administration regarding the federal government taking over various city jurisdictions.
“The president had the option to let D.C. take over because it falls under federal jurisdiction,” Ingram remarked. “The state can’t just take over city authority regarding police departments as they see fit.”
