Alabama Senate Committee Advances Bill to Allow ALEA Takeover of Understaffed Police Departments

The proposed legislation would give municipalities five years to meet staffing requirements or face state oversight.

Published on Feb. 25, 2026

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An Alabama Senate committee has advanced a bill that would allow the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) to take over certain police departments if they fail to meet staffing requirements within a five-year period. The bill, sponsored by Senator Will Barfoot, would require Class 3 municipalities like Montgomery and Huntsville to employ at least two full-time officers per 1,000 residents based on 2020 census data. If municipalities do not make annual staffing improvements of at least 10%, ALEA would be authorized to assume operational oversight until the requirements are met.

Why it matters

The bill has raised concerns about the potential financial burden on local police departments and the impact on smaller municipalities' ability to retain officers. There are also questions about ALEA's capacity to oversee additional departments across the state.

The details

Senate Bill 298 would give Class 3 municipalities in Alabama five years to meet the staffing requirement of two full-time officers per 1,000 residents. If they fail to make annual 10% improvements, ALEA would be able to take over the department's operations until the requirements are met. ALEA would be authorized to create a staffing improvement plan, employ supplemental officers, or enter the department into an agreement with other law enforcement agencies.

  • The Senate committee advanced the bill on Tuesday, February 25, 2026.
  • If passed, SB298 would take effect on October 1, 2026.

The players

Will Barfoot

The Republican state senator from Pike Road who sponsored the bill.

Greg Albritton

The Republican state senator from Atmore who chairs the Senate Taxation and General Committee and expressed concerns about the bill's funding mechanism.

Kirk Hatcher

The Democratic state senator from Montgomery who introduced an amendment to mandate that compliance costs be drawn from the state's general fund budget.

Merika Coleman

The Democratic state senator from Birmingham who critiqued the bill's approach to recruiting new officers.

Linda Coleman-Madison

The Democratic state senator from Birmingham who expressed concerns about the bill's impact on smaller municipalities and ALEA's capacity.

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What they’re saying

“This puts a great potential burden on the state.”

— Greg Albritton, Senate Taxation and General Committee Chair (alreporter.com)

“This is Pandora's Box. If the state starts absorbing the cost, for every municipality's or any municipality's responsibility for safety, public safety, while we might be able to do that, we can't do it without the funds to do so.”

— Greg Albritton, Senate Taxation and General Committee Chair (alreporter.com)

“I'm definitely not questioning the sponsor, the gentleman's heart in why he is moving forward with this piece of legislation, I just don't think this is how you get there. I just kind of respectfully disagree in if you really want to have an opportunity to increase the number of officers, we ought to be offering some type of incentive, and this doesn't do that.”

— Merika Coleman, State Senator (alreporter.com)

What’s next

The bill will now move to the full Alabama Senate for a vote.

The takeaway

This proposed legislation highlights the ongoing challenges facing police departments in Alabama, particularly in smaller municipalities, and the debate over the appropriate role of state versus local government in addressing these issues. The bill's potential financial impact and ALEA's capacity to oversee additional departments remain key points of contention.