U.S. Sen. Katie Britt (R-Montgomery) used a Senate appropriations hearing this week to question FBI Director Kash Patel about federal law enforcement efforts in Alabama while also highlighting Redstone Arsenal’s growing role in advanced police training and national public safety operations.

During a hearing of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies, Britt questioned Patel and ATF Director Robert Cekada about the agencies’ Fiscal Year 2027 budget requests and ongoing public safety efforts. The hearing also included testimony from DEA Administrator Terrance Cole and U.S. Marshals Service Director Gadyaces Serralta.

Britt specifically highlighted recent FBI operations in Alabama, including arrests connected to violent crime, drug trafficking, human trafficking and crimes against children.

“I want to just highlight some of the great work that the FBI has done in Alabama. So, over the last year, we have seen the Bureau oversee the arrest of 1,187 criminals. We have seen you seize 31kg of cocaine and over three [kilograms] of fentanyl,” Britt said. “If you look over just the last four months alone, you have arrested [154] criminals, 15 of which have crimes related to human trafficking or crimes against children.”

The senator also pointed to Operation Southern Star, a two-week interagency operation conducted in Montgomery that resulted in dozens of arrests, firearms recoveries and drug seizures.

“And that includes a two-week operation, Operation Southern Star in Montgomery, Alabama, which was an interagency operation where I believe you had 63 arrests, 52 guns recovered and 40 drug seizures,” Britt said. “As a resident of Montgomery and as someone who is raising her children there, I want to say thank you on behalf of me, on behalf of all the moms and dads that are that are raising their family there and behalf of our community, we say, thank you.”

Britt also credited the FBI with contributing to what she described as “the largest dip in recorded murders in history” nationwide.

Britt later shifted the discussion toward how additional federal funding could support training and law enforcement operations tied to Alabama. Britt also asked how increased FBI funding requests could help expand efforts targeting violent crime, cartels and trafficking operations. Patel responded by highlighting the FBI’s expanding counter-drone and advanced training programs at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville.

“[W]hat we also need to do is work with our state and local folks in the field and provide them with the advanced training capabilities they need,” Patel said. “Specifically, for instance, the drone program capability, we launched the first ever of its kind … a counter-UAS program down at the Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama.”

Patel said officers from agencies across the country are seeking access to the Huntsville-based program.

“We’ve graduated 65 state cops from that program. The waitlist is long. Every single agency across the country wants their police officers there,” Patel said.

The FBI director also pointed to Redstone Arsenal’s cyber training, TEDAC school and ballistic research capabilities as part of the bureau’s long-term law enforcement training strategy.

In a separate line of questioning, Britt raised concerns about the growing number of illicit Chinese-made vaping products entering the United States and being marketed toward children.

“I know that we discussed at your confirmation hearing the great work the ATF is doing to combat the flow of illicit Chinese vapes into our nation,” Britt said. “These unsafe products target kids in many instances, and I think we have got to put a stop to this.”

Cekada responded by saying ATF agents are already stretched thin while balancing violent crime enforcement efforts around the country.

“So, we would love to have more agents to focus on this effort in particular, but it’s very challenging for us to do so with the budget that we have,” Cekada said.

The hearing focused on proposed funding requests for several federal law enforcement agencies as lawmakers continue debating public safety priorities and federal enforcement resources heading into the next fiscal year.

Sherri Blevins is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You may contact her at [email protected].