PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — There's no quick fix for public safety concerns on and around the Temple University campus. That's the conclusion of a newly released campus security safety audit.
The report does include, however, 68 recommendations to coordinate a safety strategy in the North Philadelphia community.
The external, independent review of Campus Safety Services and the Temple University Police Department focused on safety, policing and community well-being as a whole. It was conducted by law enforcement consulting firm 21CP Solutions.
Read the full report
Former Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey was hired to participate in the audit. He says there are a couple of things that Temple is immediately asked to do.
"We recommend, for example, a community safety partnership zone. We talk about combining resources and a response resource task force being formed," Ramsey said.
Not all of the safety recommendations are specific to Temple.
"If the City of Philadelphia doesn't step up to the plate, you will never realize the full potential that you have as a community in terms of safety — and that's important — from trash pickups to dealing with some of the properties around the campus, landlords, absentee landlords, that may not be keeping up with the property."
Ramsey says some of the issues and problems in North Philadelphia go beyond Temple and that everyone has a role to play in making the community a safer place.