City's top cop takes to streets of Southwest Philadelphia for "Peace Not Guns Safety Walk"
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- City officials, along with community leaders, hit the streets of Southwest Philadelphia on Wednesday in an effort to help fight the city's gun violence crisis. The goal of the event was to get a first-hand look at some of the issues impacting this community, plus a look at some successful approaches to reducing violence.
On Wednesday afternoon, Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw, along with Councilmember Kenyatta Johnson, walked the 6400 and 6500 blocks of Kingsessing Street, going door to door to listen to the concerns of the constituents.
"I think it's important for folks to see us," Outlaw said.
Southwest Philadelphia is one of the hardest hit parts of our city facing the gun violence crisis.
The commissioner was well received by neighbors. Many were all smiles as they took photos with the commissioner and talked candidly to her about some of the issues they face on a daily basis walking and living on these streets.
Many told the commissioner that they just simply don't feel safe walking on their streets, especially when it gets dark outside.
The commissioner reacted to that and the importance of going door to door in many neighborhoods, not just this one here in Southwest Philadelphia, as part of the ongoing effort to remedy the crisis that faces our city.
"It's a huge difference, it's a huge difference when we drive certain blocks as opposed when you actually get out of a car and walk. You start to see things that you don't see in the car. You see people that are out on their porches. You have the opportunity to get out and engage, and then people feel more comfortable in telling you what's going on in their lives as opposed to a simple wave when you drive by," Outlaw said. "So one, it's important to have boots on the ground and to see for ourselves and be able to hear first hand how our services are impacting people, if at all, whether good or bad. But then it's also important for people to see us to know that we care."
The commissioner said some of the criticism she has received is that she hasn't been out enough and this is one of the steps that she is taking along with her officers, making sure that the community knows that they are actively tackling and thinking through how they can combat this crisis of gun violence.
The "Peace Not Guns Safety Walk" was organized by Johnson.
"We've had significant gun violence in this area over the past couple of months, particularly in the 60th and Kingsessing Streets area," Johnson said, "and so we want residents to know they are not being held hostages."
The commissioner and councilman also surprised students inside the Fathership Foundation's homework help program.
Dr. Jonathan Wilson, Jr. founded the male mentorship program while serving time in jail, determined to break the cycle.
"Unfortunately, a lot of our kids and people in this community only come into contact with police when there is something wrong or someone is in trouble," Wilson said, "so to kind of create the relationships early, it takes time to build and you can;t just build them overnight."
While two city blocks alone won't end the epidemic of guns, every step forward matters.
"We're not the only answer and, in fact, programs like this, programs that are going to be able to intervene and interject and stop a lot of these things before we do it," Outlaw said. "Because by the time the police are involved, it's too late."
The commissioner will host a listening session open to the public over the next several Thursdays from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Thursday's session will take place at a venue still to be announced. Next Thursday, Sept. 8, it'll take place at Hope Partnership for Education at 2601 N. 11th Street. And on Sept. 15, it'll happen at The Lighthouse Outdoor Facility at 199 E. Eerie Ave.