PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — John Stanford was sworn in Friday morning as Philadelphia’s acting police commissioner.
Stanford is taking over for Danielle Outlaw, who stepped down after 3 ½ tumultuous years. Stanford, a life-long resident with 21 years on the force, says he’s ready for the job.
“Commissioner Outlaw brought me up as her first deputy,” he recalled. “You started to see some of the positive changes we’ve had over the last year, and so I’ve been a part of that process.”
As first deputy, he’s been a key player in developing the department’s anti-crime tactics and he thinks the numbers show they’re working. Pointing to the 20% drop in homicides and shootings this year, he believes the city is safer. He says the key is making residents feel it is.
“You gotta have hope that … this city’s going to turn around. It already has, just in the numbers, but the real hope will lie in how people start to feel.”
So far this year, there have been 318 homicides in the city, according to the Controller’s Office. They say last year there were a total of 516 homicides -– a rate 8% lower than 2021.
Stanford says he may make some changes but mainly plans to follow the strategies that are starting to show results. His interim first deputy will be Frank Vanore, another long-time department veteran.
It’s not clear how long he’ll be in the job, with the mayoral election just weeks away. The presumed winner, Cherelle Parker, has said she wants someone who knows the city, and a source familiar with her thinking says Stanford is on the list of candidates.