Alabama has officially outlawed Glock switches and other gun conversion devices, as Gov. Kay Ivey signed new legislation Wednesday targeting their possession and sale. The move, aimed at curbing gun violence, follows a deadly year in which these devices were linked to multiple mass shootings, including a deadly attack outside a Birmingham nightclub in September.
The devices, which convert semi-automatic firearms to fire like fully automatic weapons, pose a significant threat to public safety, according to law enforcement. The Associated Press reported that a bipartisan coalition pushed for the ban, and Ivey emphasized the need to empower local law enforcement.
“While there is a federal ban on these gun conversion devices, we needed a way to empower our own law enforcement here in Alabama to get these illegal and extremely dangerous Glock switches off our streets,” she said.
However, Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin took an even stronger stance, issuing a direct warning to those illegally possessing these devices.
“We are sending a signal to the switch boys that we are not messing around about this topic,” he stated in a social media video shortly after the bill was signed.
In an additional statement beginning “dear switch boys,” Woodfin declared that police are “ready to put a case on all of y’all.” To encourage community involvement, he also announced a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of anyone possessing a Glock switch.
“These devices only hurt people, particularly innocent people. We had enough of this in 2024,” he added.
Law enforcement officials have described these gun conversion devices as producing “a rapid, hard-to-control spray of bullets” that significantly increase casualties in shootings. The mayors of Alabama’s ten largest cities, also known as the Big 10 Mayors, issued a statement praising Ivey’s decision, showing a united front among municipal leaders in tackling gun violence.
“We are thrilled the state Legislature and Governor Ivey have given Alabama law enforcement the ability to get these extremely dangerous devices off our streets and out of our communities,” the organization said. “These devices have directly resulted in a number of high-casualty shootings in communities across Alabama, and empowering our law enforcement to act will go a long way in reducing violent crime that results from these devices.
The new law takes immediate effect, making possession or sale of these devices a Class C felony, punishable by up to ten years in prison.
The Yellowhammer State now joins 23 others that have already enacted similar bans.
Alabama has consistently ranked among the states with the highest gun violence rates. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the state recorded 1,278 gun-related deaths in 2022, the fourth-highest rate in the country, following Mississippi, Louisiana, and New Mexico.
