Robertson Pledges Crime Focus in Attorney General Bid
The Republican nominee for Alabama Attorney General outlined her public safety strategy at a Shelby County Republican Party gathering in Pelham.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Criminal Justice
Live Poll
Do you think crime in Alabama is getting better or worse?
Katherine Green Robertson, the Republican nominee for Alabama Attorney General, spoke to a group in Pelham at an event sponsored by the Shelby County Republican Party. She outlined a public safety strategy and pledged to recruit top legal talent to expand the Attorney General's office.
Why it matters
Robertson argued that rising crime in some urban centers reflects weak local leadership and said the Attorney General's office has grown in responsibility while its core legal staff has remained largely stagnant since Jeff Sessions served in the role. Her remarks frame staffing and public safety as central issues for Alabama's next Attorney General.
Robertson said 88% of Alabama prisoners are violent criminals and defended ongoing construction of new state prison facilities. The extraction does not specify the source of the 88% figure or the timeline for the prison projects.
The players
Katherine Green Robertson
Robertson is the Republican nominee for Alabama Attorney General and a longtime Chief Counsel to outgoing Attorney General Steve Marshall.
Steve Marshall
Marshall is the outgoing Alabama Attorney General whose office Robertson served as Chief Counsel.
Shelby County Republican Party
The Shelby County Republican Party is the county affiliate of the Republican Party that sponsored the Pelham gathering.
The details
At the Pelham event, Robertson, a longtime Chief Counsel to outgoing Attorney General Steve Marshall, said she would pursue measures allowing the state to police Montgomery directly if local administrations fail to secure their streets. She also referenced major state-led lawsuits against digital platforms and said recruitment has become harder due to private sector competition.
Timeline
Robertson spoke in Pelham on November 1, 2026, at a Shelby County Republican Party gathering.
Legal Context
Robertson's staffing critique points to the Alabama Attorney General's core legal staff having remained largely stagnant since Jeff Sessions held the office, even as statutory duties and active caseloads have grown. The pledge to expand recruitment directly addresses that gap in the office's capacity.
Residents of Montgomery and other Alabama cities could see increased state policing if the proposed measures are adopted. Staffing levels at the Attorney General's office affect how many cases the state can pursue and how quickly.
The takeaway
Candidates for Attorney General are increasingly tying the office's effectiveness to staffing and recruitment, not only to its legal authority. Voters evaluating the race may want to weigh how each candidate plans to fund and staff the office.
Further reading
For broader context on how state prosecutors and their offices operate, see Criminal Justice coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Alabama Gazette.
Live Poll
Do you think crime in Alabama is getting better or worse?
