MPD announces increased operations after weekend shootings

Montgomery Police Department (MPD) Chief James Graboys held a press conference on Monday to announce an increase in its operations following several unrelated shootings over the weekend that resulted in an injury and a death. 

"This past weekend has been very difficult and painful for us and all of our citizens," he said during his opening. 

Graboys commented on the murder of Diamond Moore, a teenager who was killed on Friday, June 20. 

"Of every possible crime this is the most egregious and it weighs on me," Graboys said. "It weighs on all of us at the city and at the police department." 

He offered his condolences to the family and pledged to work until the suspect or suspects are arrested. 

Graboys then spoke on an unidentified victim who was critically injured in shooting on Birmingham Highway, also on Friday. 

"From that shooting we will spare no resources or efforts to ensure that [the victim's] assailant is caught and charged," he said. 

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Graboys went on to report on another shooting that took place on Saturday, though no injuries were reported, though two buildings and a vehicle were struck. 

He pledged again to spare no expense in their investigation before saying that the MPD would be "changing things operationally". These will include assignment changes, hour changes and changed off days to "ensure increased coverage" of areas in the city. 

"Further, we've instituted a driving detail and are instituting targeted traffic enforcement details that are going to include checkpoints with zero tolerance," he said. 

This will also include technology in the form of increased camera coverage that will use license plate and facial recognition software. 

"These facilities and these tools are incredibly effective," he stated, adding that the StarWatch system will be used in addition to police drones that will be ordered. 

"We're going to be doing this in our daily operations to help identify and pursue criminal suspects," he said. "These drones will be the part and the beginning of a departmental program to increase our ability to effectively detect and respond to crime."