Faith under fire: Birmingham chief copes with murder surge

by Jay Reeves The Birmingham Times Originally posted 8/24/2006 BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) _ Annetta Nunn's office could belong to any Black preacher in town: A photo of Martin Luther King Jr. greets visitors, mocha-colored angel figurines fill a bookcase. The baseball cap behind her desk says ``God Answers Prayers.'' Yet Nunn isn't a minister - she's the police chief. And she's wonders if the fact she is an outspoken Christian has something to do with the surging murder rate in Alabama's biggest city, where homicides are up more than 25 percent over last year. Nunn says one thing is certain to happen anytime Christians speak boldly: ``Satan is going to attack.'' So Nunn can't help but wonder if her own actions _ singing hymns at the funerals of three slain officers, making speeches and writing articles mentioning God- somehow made the devil meaner than usual in Birmingham. Yes, the city is struggling against crime. But Nunn is struggling too, with questions about crime, punishment, fate and God. A 26-year veteran of the department, Nunn became the City's first Black female police chief in 2003. She has improved the firepower of the department by acquiring rifles and additional stun guns for officers, and she worked in the community to bolster neighborhood watch programs. She also is trying to improve the department's communication with other police agencies, and she has encouraged officers to get involved in the community with volunteer groups. Critics on radio call-in shows, Internet forums and letters to the editor have called Nunn too soft. They claim the City needs more hard-nosed policing and less Christian rhetoric. But police Sgt. Allen Treadaway said Birmingham's increasing homicide rate isn't the fault of Nunn, who was appointed by the mayor. City leaders need to provide more money for recruiting and retaining officers and operating task forces to combat problems like drugs, he said. ``We have to have a strategy in place and resources available to take those who are not contributing to society out of society,'' said Treadaway, president of the City's Fraternal Order of Police lodge. For Nunn, faith and crime fighting are intertwined. One of Nunn's first ideas as chief was a Bible-based plan of civic responsibility for cleaning up rundown neighborhoods, and she supports police chaplains who hold revivals in crime-ridden communities. She talks about the need to lock up criminals, but she also talks of working with pastors to discourage crime and change hearts. ``I do believe we have to get back to God to permanently change a person's behavior,'' she said in an interview. ``We put people in jail all the time. Our stats show we put in over 20,000 people last year. But our prisons are overcrowded, and they come right back here.'' Overall, Nunn says, things are improving: The City's total crime rate is down one percent this year. But murder seems out of control, with 72 homicides recorded through Thursday in comparison to 57 during the same period last year.* The killing takes a toll on Nunn, a soft-spoken mother of two who used to play a mean shortstop in softball and still attends the same Baptist church where she was baptized at age eight. In 2004, three Birmingham police officers were shot to death as they entered a drug house trying to make an arrest. She helped their families cope - and gave herself strength - by singing a hymn at the funerals for the men. ``It was the first time I ever sang outside my church,'' she said. It was also when she began to ask questions about her own faith and crime. ``There was a point particularly after the officers were killed where I wondered, `Is it my fault?'' Nunn said. ``I wasn't on the scene, and there was nothing I could have done. But (I wondered) if it was as a spiritual attack. I was looking at it that way.'' Some answers are hard to come by. And the questions came again this year as the City's homicide rate rose. A stack of letters offering support rests near Nunn's desk, and she draws strength from people who promise to pray for her. But sometimes it's quiet, and she can't help but wonder about the solution to what's going on in Birmingham. ``We've got to enforce the law. But we've got to change people's hearts,'' she said.

DUI & Driving Under The Influence:
Alabama SR-22 DUI Penalty :
An SR-22 is an official documentation required to redeem a suspended drivers license and get your car registered at the local department of Vehicles (DMV). A SR22 Filing is a form issued by an insurance company which removes a suspension order placed by the DMV's office on your driving privilege. The most common reason for an SR22 filing is when you are arrested for Driving Under Intoxication (DUI) or Driving While Intoxicated (DWI). The filing provides a guarantee to the state that an insurance company has issued at least minimum liability coverage for the person making that filing and that the insurance company will notify the DMV should the insurance ever lapse for any reason.

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Speak about DUIs :
We are all aware of the dangers involved and risks that are taken when people consume alcohol and get behind the wheel. Unfortunately, for some, adhering to the message has required harsh penalties such as loss of driving privileges and hefty fines, or even jail terms.

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