Tuesday, August 24th saw Philadelphia City Council taking a road trip to the city of Chester to discuss gun violence and the reduction of violent crime. It’s no secret that Philadelphia has seen and continues to see the rise of violent crime, especially gun-related crimes. For its part, Chester has seen its numbers drop dramatically in the past year.
Violent crime has been particularly challenging for many communities; but, it appears that Philadelphia’s levels of gun violence have reached disturbing heights. Philadelphia has a higher rate of homicide than New York or Chicago. Shootings are up 29% from 2020. 3.5 times as many children have been killed in gun violence incidents in 2021 as compared to 2020. To that end, Philadelphia City Council found themselves at a roundtable discussion with Chester City Officials and Delaware County Law Enforcement. The meeting was hosted by Local 413 Union Hall in Chester.
The basic theme that was continuously repeated throughout the afternoon’s meeting was “Partnership;” which is something that Delaware County and the City of Chester have embraced, and it has achieved a strong result.
Philadelphia officials believe that Chester law enforcement officials are indeed headed in the right direction evidenced by the dramatic drop in crime. “The bottom line is for people to work together, for real, not just in a public conversation,” said Philadelphia Council President, Darrell Clarke. “To be able to get the parties, particularly on the law enforcement side, in the same room. I don’t know what’s in those meetings, I’m told that they’re having those meetings. We have to figure this out. This is unacceptable,” stated Clarke.
There wasn’t any finger-pointing during the closed-door session about the uptick in Philadelphia gun violence. There were questions from the media regarding the absence of Mayor Jim Kenney, District Attorney Larry Krasner, and Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw. Clarke said they weren’t invited, explaining councilmembers were making their own inquiries as elected officials as to what’s working in Chester. Following several questions from the media as to the absence of prominent officials who should have had a seat at this table, Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer said he’s waiting for Krasner’s call to discuss what has worked in Chester. “We’re seeing great results,” Stollsteimer said. “I’ve never heard from anyone in the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office. I’ve never received a return phone from the district attorney on any issue, I’ve tried to call him about. If he wants to find out about how this is working, I have a phone. I’m in my office almost every day. He can reach me back at the number I’ve left him.”
Mayor Thaddeus Kirkland informed the visiting dignitaries about how important teamwork was in the process. Collaborative efforts and cooperation between city officials, police, community, civic organizations, District Attorney’s Office, and the Office of the Attorney General, Josh Shapiro were all instrumental in bringing down the crime rates.
Chester Police Commissioner Steven Gretsky said, “In matters such as this, it’s important to check your ego at the door.” “We have officers out in the community interacting with residents…getting to know the residents and identifying hotspots and potential problem areas. We’ve gone directly to individuals that we know are creating problems in areas and said that this is serious…this criminal behavior is no to going to be tolerated.” We’ve gone to daycare establishments in an effort to engage youngsters and build relationships between police officers and the community; so that residents don’t just see the uniform–they see the humanity. Our officers, given the time and depending on circumstances are engaging youth in basketball games, buying ice cream, and having conversations with members of the community.
It should be noted, that a spokesperson for the Philadelphia Police Commissioner said Outlaw found out Monday about the meeting but wasn’t invited.
A spokesperson with Krasner’s office said they’ve never received a phone call from Stollsteimer and added that had Krasner been invited, he would gladly have attended.
The collaboration and intelligence sharing in Chester began before Stollsteimer took office, recruiting a team to support the effort. Still, on a daily basis, it’s about a group of individuals coming together to save the lives of our citizens. Citizens in Chester doubted that Stollsteimer could affect change in Chester, but 20 months after he took office, there’s definitely change in the city. When he comes to Chester now, grandmothers express their gratitude for the positive change they’ve witnessed since he’s been in office. They’re no longer afraid to go to the corner store or the mini-mart for a gallon of milk.
“If we can’t work together, and I mean everybody work together, in public, in private, we’re not going to not going to achieve what they’ve achieved here in Chester,” exclaimed Clarke.
In the Chester strategy, the technique of collaboration, as opposed to competition, is leading to more cooperation from the community and an effective drop in violent crime. Which ultimately leads to a better quality of life for all law-abiding citizens.
