Philadelphia Police Department is down nearly 1,000 officers, investigation shows
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A CBS News Philadelphia exclusive investigation has uncovered concerning figures that show the Philadelphia Police force is down nearly 1,000 officers.
The department is trying to reverse a trend of departures that spiked after 2020.
Kimberly McGlonn has owned a storefront in the Mantua section of West Philadelphia since February 2020.
She said in the last three months, she's called 911 four times for people who came into her store "in crisis."
"We need more police officers," McGlonn said. "We need more folks who are able to support us, and taking care of people who are in crisis, and making sure there is a sense of public safety."
Back in 2008, the Philadelphia Police Department had more than 6,800 personnel.
While the number of officers has been steadily declining since then, the rate of departures really picked up after 2020.
The force has what it calls its "authorized strength" threshold. It's the number of officers the police department has within its budget to hire and it's 6,380.
Data from police sources show the department will soon be down 1,000 officers from that number, hovering around 5,400.
"On the surface, that number is staggering, but when I think about how challenging it is to be a police officer now when I think about how they feel unsupported, I am imagining recruitment is a serious challenge and that retention is more challenging," McGlonn said. "In that way, I'm not surprised."
The department is actively recruiting.
But sources say even with thousands of applications, less than 2% percent make it through the process and become police officers.
Records, interviews and sources contacted for this report all show the department is struggling to replace officers at the rate they're leaving.
CBS News Philadelphia requested an interview with Interim Police Commissioner John Stanford. But he was unavailable earlier this week, so we showed up at, of all events, a news conference about police recruitment.
At the news conference, the department announced a $3 million "The City Needs You" campaign.
Holden: "I know that this is an aggressive help-wanted effort, but the fact that we are down almost 1,000 officers, what is your message and trying to fill that personnel gap?"
Stanford: "So I think it's very clear, our city needs you. We need as many people as possible to sign off to become Philadelphia police officers."
Stanford says his department, while struggling with numbers, has actually shown a decline in crime in 2023, unlike the last few years.
"Robberies are down, carjackings are down 43%, 40% and that's at our numbers of officers also down," Stanford said.
So is the department doing more with less?
"We are doing more with less, but it's also a testament to the work being done that's not always recognized," Stanford said.
Meanwhile, the department is also confronted with hundreds of officers expected to retire.
City workers can participate in what's known as the deferred retirement option plan or "drop."
It gives the city four years notice of expected retirements.
In the next two years, some 600 officers will retire – 121 of them on one single day in January of 2025
Police sources say burnout after civil unrest in 2020 had a lot more officers entering the four-year "drop" program.
RELATED: Philadelphia Mayor-elect Cherelle Parker to hire new police commissioner before Thanksgiving
Asked about our findings, Mayor-elect Cherelle Parker appeared visibly frustrated with the declining number of officers but said she thinks the announcement of a permanent police commissioner will attract more interest.
"When he or she begins to unveil the public safety plan and crime reduction plan for the city of Philadelphia, I think you'll see more people express and interest in wanting to work in our department," she said.
Parker added removing every barrier to entering the application process is now a must.
