Philadelphia Leaders Seek Resident Input For 5-Year Safety Plan
Philadelphia Leaders, Police Seek Resident Input For 5-Year Safety Plan
Philadelphia leaders say they’re developing a five-year safety plan for the city, and they are asking for the public’s input for the plan, “a roadmap for how the department can best serve the city and its residents from 2026 to 2030.”
Mayor Cherelle Parker spoke alongside Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel, Director of Public Safety Adam Geer and members of City Council and multiple local foundations at City Hall on Thursday.
Parker’s office said the five-year plan builds on Bethel’s 100 Day Report, issued in response to Parker’s executive order that declared a public safety emergency in the city.
“We are not trying to do things the way that we’ve done them forever,” Parker said.
The plan is not complete: It will be laid out next year after town halls and other input from the public.
A survey is live on the city website. Residents can anonymously report how crime and nuisances affect them daily and give direct feedback on police response in their neighborhoods.
Bethel said the city has shown improvements in reducing violent crime and the key to further success is keeping the community involved.
“A collaboration involving residents, neighbors and business leaders” is the goal, Bethel said. This is an opportunity for civilians to be “part of the solution,” he said.
Parker reminded the audience the city is on track to have the lowest number of homicides and shootings in more than 50 years.
The plan will be centered on the pillars of prevention, intervention and enforcement, Parker said.
Police say they will use the survey responses to help craft the plan, but leaders shared few details about what that would entail, saying only that officer wellness and recruitment will be big pieces, as will investments in technology. But Bethel said it’s important to get community input.
“Together we can build a safer, stronger, more prosperous future if we do this right,” Bethel said.
Some residents said they are happy to share feedback. Sherri Wayne, of Mount Airy, said she would like to see more law enforcement in her neighborhood.
“These porch pirates will come and snatch up my package and take off,” Wayne said. “I just see a blur on my camera. So yeah, it would be nice to just have their presence in the neighborhood.”
Information from this article was sourced from CBS Philadelphia
Philadelphia Leaders, Police Seek Resident Input For 5-Year Safety Plan was originally published on rnbphilly.com
