In New Program, Philadelphia Police Commissioner Stresses Importance of Lawful Policing
By Kristen Johanson
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Philadelphia Police Department kicked off a new training initiative for recruits this morning at the National Constitution Center.
Police commissioner Charles Ramsey spoke to a group of 80 recruits about the importance of getting back to the basics when it comes to justice, emphasizing that it all starts with the US Constitution.
"If we take an objective view of policing in America, not just the great things we've done -- and we've done some very, very good things -- but if we also look at the history, and understand the history, it puts us in a better position in the future," he told them.
The new police training initiative, called "Policing in a More Perfect Union," was designed in partnership with the Constitution Center and the Philadelphia Police Foundation.
"And I think it is important to know where different communities are coming from, why is there such tension in some communities versus others," Ramsey noted.
He says he hopes to eventually bring every officer of every rank into the training program.
