The Birmingham City Council approved a measure Tuesday to provide nearly $16 million in funding for the police department to hire more patrol officers.

The Birmingham City Council on Tuesday approved the plan presented last week by Mayor Randall Woodfin to recruit and retain police in an effort to fill 172 empty patrol positions. “The city of Birmingham is hiring,” Woodfin said after the meeting.

The Birmingham City Council voted unanimously on Tuesday to pass the Mayor’s plan for recruiting and retaining police officers in the Magic City.

Birmingham Mayor Randall L. Woodfin and the Birmingham Police Department have presented their recommended officer recruitment and retention plan. The city reports the plan will prioritize the hiring of 172 patrol officers to achieve staffing targets in police precincts and coverage in neighborhoods.

The Birmingham City Council announced Tuesday it passed a $15.8 million plan designed to aid officer recruitment and retention within the city's police departme

Alabama state Rep. Juandalynn Givan (D-Birmingham) called for the resignation of Birmingham Police Chief Scott Thurmond on Monday.

A Birmingham community activist is calling for the removal or resignation of Police Chief Scott Thurmond, citing an “unprecedented” rise in homicides and low morale among officers. Eric Hall, the co-founder of the Birmingham Black Lives Matter chapter who previously sought a seat on the Birmingham City Council,