The dystopian America -- riddled with crime and lawlessness -- that Donald Trump spoke of in his acceptance speech at last week's Republican National Convention is not the reality in cities across the country, Birmingham Mayor William Bell told AL.com on Monday.

Bell, who is among dozens of mayors set to hold a press conference in Philadelphia Tuesday to address Trump's claims of rising crime in American cities, pointed out that crime in Birmingham is at an all-time low in the last 10 years. The U.S. Conference of Mayors will be holding the event at the Democratic National Convention to call for more federal support to combat crime.

"This doom-and-gloom picture, that people are wilding in the streets, that's just not happening," Bell said.

He accused Trump of trying to persuade voters by using fear that doesn't measure up to reality.  

http://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2016/07/mayor_bell_donald_trumps_dysto.html#incart_river_home


5. BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA
Violent Crime Rate: 1,588/100,000 people
Murder Rate: 25/100,000 people
Population: 212,115
Officer to Population Ratio: 1:245
Rank Last Year: #8
Alabama's biggest city saw its violent crime rate climb by 18 percent in 2014, enough to move up three spots in this year's rankings. In fact, Law Street notes that Birmingham had the highest growth in violent crime among all the cities on the list, largely due to a 27-percent increase in aggravated assaults and higher levels of robberies and rapes. Despite that, the city did see murders decrease by more than 10 for a total of 52 in 2014.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/health/wellness/the-10-most-dangerous-cities-in-america/ss-AAfDo9R#image=6

Alternate universe.

"I reject your reality, and substitute my own....."

Now there's a name I haven't seen in awhile.

How's he doing?

Last I saw him was in Hoover, then they bounced him elsewhere.

it's at an all time low because they quit reporting crime stats in some areas...lol. bham was just ranked number 5 in the country for homicides this year. down from number 3 last year and number 1 a few years ago

Do you have the source for the ranking?

I'm always having to remind our "remote" leadership regarding safety in the area.

google crime stats it's in  several different reports. position in state and the federal list varies a bit by report but we are always WAY up toward the top of the list. only detroit and memphis routinely beat us.

https://www.roadsnacks.net/most-dangerous-cities-in-alabama/

http://kdvr.com/2015/05/08/by-the-numbers-here-are-the-most-dangerous-cities-in-america/

http://www.al.com/news/birmingham/index.ssf/2015/09/4_alabama_cities_in_fbis_top_1.html

I was in one store in ATL several years back, everything was behind the glass.

i will give the current council and mayor credit. they are at least trying to rejuvenate the city. my big question is if the locals will actually let it happen

when they hold open meetings to discuss the growth plans and major community leaders come out in force to shout it down becuase it will bring white people back into the city, they have a problem i am not sure they can fix.

The Avondale crap cracks me up.

If UAB was one mountain south of it's current location B'ham would be dead.

uab is really the only large employer left in birmingham. next would be the other hospitals. take them out and realy it's very little industry with more than a thousand or so employees.

another 5 years i suspect uab will own 99% of southside..lol

Ha! I was just about to post that.

https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/al/birmingham/crime/

UAB area...

https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/al/birmingham/five-points-south/#crime