Public Safety

After more than 560 homicides in 2021, the city’s crisis of violent crime has reached an unimaginable level. Residents cannot walk their dog, go to the park or even sit at Thanksgiving dinner without fear of being shot.

There is no more fundamental purpose of city government than the safety of its residents and visitors. Of course, there are challenges: Covid-19 and the opioid epidemic, to name two. Yet nearby cities Chester, Pa., and Camden, N.J., have shown violent crime reduction is possible. Clear goals and coordination between government agencies are required.

We reject the notion that law enforcement and criminal justice reform cannot happen together. Philadelphia needs a strong police department, one that embraces data analysis, proper police work and community relations.

We support the elimination of regulations that impede Philadelphia’s ability to recruit and effectively train a diverse workforce of public safety officers. We also support strategies to ensure justice is equitable and individual rights are protected. But justice must apply to both victims and perpetrators. Lawlessness feeds on itself. The City must ensure that those who harm their fellow citizens are held accountable in a court of law. How many more homicides can we tolerate by repeat offenders whom our justice system didn’t hold to account?