Following up on her campaign promises to improve public safety in one of America’s most crime-riddled cities, Philadelphia Democrat Mayor Cherelle Parker declared crime a public safety emergency on her first day in office.
As the first step in her 100-day action plan, Ms. Parker signed an executive order on Tuesday that calls on the city’s police department to “vigorously enforce” existing laws and for officials to develop a plan to add more police officers on city streets with a focus on community policing.
At the same time, Ms. Parker has been upfront about maintaining a zero-tolerance policy on misconduct by law enforcement.
“We must rebuild trust between police and the communities they serve. Our officers must be guardians, not warriors,” she said in her inaugural address.
The executive order also calls on officials to reduce violent crime rates, combat property crimes, and “permanently shut down all pervasive open-air drug markets” that operate in specific areas, notably Kensington.
Ms. Parker ran on the promise to make Philadelphia the “safest, cleanest, greenest big city” in the United States—a tall order, considering the city’s current state.
In addition to being one of the worst in terms of poverty and crime rates, Philadelphia has a joblessness rate nearly double that of the national average. The city also ranks fourth in the nation for opioid-related deaths.
Executive Orders Signed
On her first day in office, Ms. Parker signed additional executive orders to address two other issues she ran on—one aiming to expand economic opportunities for Philadelphia residents (including eliminating the college degree requirement as a prerequisite for city employment), another seeking to make government service more visible and effective to its citizens.
“If I don’t see my tax dollars at work in the community that I live in, what about this process is working?” she told The New Yorker in November, commenting on the dilapidated neighborhoods of the city.
“I see glass, I see trash. I don’t see thriving businesses. I don’t want my child to play in the park because there are needles in the park. I don’t want him to play basketball there.”
Philadelphia’s 100th Mayor
When Ms. Parker took over the office from her predecessor, Mayor Jim Kenney, she became Philadelphia’s 100th mayor and the first woman to lead the city.
Mr. Kenney, who in July publicly stated that he would “be happy” when he’s no longer in charge of the city, faced severe criticism for a noticeable rise in crime rates under his watch, as he oversaw major criminal justice reform measures that involved banning traffic stops for minor offenses.
In 2017, Philadelphians elected Larry Krasner, a self-described “progressive prosecutor,” as district attorney. However, his platform of reducing incarcerations, including ending cash bail and decriminalizing low-level offenses, and firm persecution of police misconduct, made him a polarizing figure.
In 2022, he was the subject of an impeachment campaign by the Pennsylvania House of Representatives on multiple counts, including dereliction of duty. He’s frequently accused by law enforcement of being “anti-police.”
During the past year, Philadelphia has seen crime increase by more than 11 percent, and more than 23 percent the year before, according to Philadelphia Police Department Data.
Ms. Parker, 51, served for 10 years as a state representative for Northwest Philadelphia from 2005 to 2015. She was elected to the city council in 2015 and became majority leader in January 2020. She resigned from Philadelphia City Council in September 2022 to run for mayor.
During her inaugural speech, she vowed to “expeditiously get every available resource into neighborhoods struggling from the scourges of crime, gun violence, drugs, and addiction.”
