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Philadelphia police commissioner resigns, months before end of mayor's second term
Philadelphia police commissioner resigns, months before end of mayor's second term
By MARYCLAIRE DALE and CLAUDIA LAUER
September 5, 2023, 10:32 AM
PHILADELPHIA -- Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw will step down this month, the mayor said Tuesday, ending a turbulent three years at the helm of one of the country's largest police forces that spanned the pandemic lockdowns and Black Lives Matter protests to take a leadership position with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
Outlaw, the first Black woman to run the 6,000-member department, came aboard just before the pandemic shutdown and quickly had to oversee the city's safety as intense protests broke out in Philadelphia and across the country in the summer of 2020 over the police killing of Black people.
Her resignation comes just a few months before the end of Mayor Jim Kenney’s tenure and as the rates of homicides and other crimes have become a major issue in the race to replace him.
Tensions between Philadelphia police and the public escalated after Floyd’s killing in May 2020, when mostly peaceful protesters who shut down a major city expressway were met with tear gas and rubber bullets. The city council issued a statement calling the police response “brutal,” “excessive” and “unacceptable,” but Outlaw initially defended the strategy. The city later paid a $9.25 million settlement to hundreds of protesters.
(snip)
https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/philadelphia-police-commissioner-danielle-outlaw-resigning-mayor-102929533
By MARYCLAIRE DALE and CLAUDIA LAUER
September 5, 2023, 10:32 AM
PHILADELPHIA -- Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw will step down this month, the mayor said Tuesday, ending a turbulent three years at the helm of one of the country's largest police forces that spanned the pandemic lockdowns and Black Lives Matter protests to take a leadership position with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
Outlaw, the first Black woman to run the 6,000-member department, came aboard just before the pandemic shutdown and quickly had to oversee the city's safety as intense protests broke out in Philadelphia and across the country in the summer of 2020 over the police killing of Black people.
Her resignation comes just a few months before the end of Mayor Jim Kenney’s tenure and as the rates of homicides and other crimes have become a major issue in the race to replace him.
Tensions between Philadelphia police and the public escalated after Floyd’s killing in May 2020, when mostly peaceful protesters who shut down a major city expressway were met with tear gas and rubber bullets. The city council issued a statement calling the police response “brutal,” “excessive” and “unacceptable,” but Outlaw initially defended the strategy. The city later paid a $9.25 million settlement to hundreds of protesters.
(snip)
https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/philadelphia-police-commissioner-danielle-outlaw-resigning-mayor-102929533
We have the mayoral election this November and I expect this is really more a move to let Cherelle Parker (who is the presumptive winner) put in her own team. Cherelle has been really really quiet behind the scenes.
Although it doesn't seem like it based on the media reports, the homicides are actually down compared to last year but like everywhere else, children have become the increasing victims of gun violence.