PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — As Philadelphia says goodbye to current Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw, a former city police commissioner gave his insight on what the department and city need in terms of new leadership.
Charles Ramsey was Philadelphia’s police commissioner from 2008 to 2016. He believes outgoing commissioner Outlaw did the best she could facing tough events like the COVID-19 pandemic and civil unrest following the death of George Floyd. But he says the police department now needs a transformational leader who is not afraid to move the department into the future by giving their best effort for a cumulative effect that will foster change over time.
“And that's how you stay consistent in terms of trying to get a handle on safety and security — kids should be able to go out and play without being worried about catching a stray bullet. That's not asking too much.”
As for the rank and file adjusting to leadership change, he says skepticism is expected and will vary depending on whether the new commissioner comes from within or outside the organization.
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Ramsey has been in that situation more than once, but says at the end of the day, “crime is crime, and the names of streets change, neighborhoods may change, but armed robbery is armed robbery, carjacking is carjacking, homicide is homicide.”
“Your job is to have an impact on those things and bring a sense of safety and security to neighborhoods because that's what everybody wants.”
He says it’s important to hear all concerns among the ranks, and in the community, trust must be gained for collaborative crime-fighting efforts.
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Many people in the community say they would like to see a police commissioner who is more hands-on in the community. Ramsey says there’s more than one way to do that.
“When you’re talking to real young people, they're not going to be sitting in some church basement at seven o'clock at night waiting on a community meeting — you better get them through social media. And you better know what social media platforms are relevant for that particular population.”
Ultimately, to further crack down on violence, Ramsey says the new commissioner has to establish trust in the community and work collaboratively with elected officials to bring about change.
Listen to the full conversation with Ramsey here: