MAKING

PHILADELPHIANS FEEL SAFE & RESPECTED IN EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD

Its a false choice that Philadelphians can either walk down their street safely or with dignity. As
Mayor, I will institute a multifaceted crime reduction strategy that stems from a police culture where
all officers respect the rights of their citizens. Police abuse is one of the greatest crimes of all because
it is a crime against the City, its people and especially the good, brave officers who do walk our
streets. - Jim Kenney

Jim Kenney believes that, in order to increase public safety in every neighborhood, we have to end the
false choice between protecting our civil liberties and keeping our streets safe. At the core of his
strategy is a plan to significantly improve community-police relations by ending stop-and-frisk, recruiting
from Historically Black Colleges and Universities, mandating continuing legal education for officers,
instituting a body camera program, and increasing funding for the Police Advisory Commission. The
Kenney administrations second public safety priority will be to enforce a holistic community policing
strategy. This includes instituting focused deterrence, increasing foot and bike patrols, implementing a
ShotSpotter pilot program, reducing enforcement of low-level offenses and implementing a municipal ID
program. The third-prong of Jims public safety strategy is to provide real opportunity to returning
citizens. As mayor, he will strengthen our citys ban the box legislation, expand expungement services,
create work release programs within city government and put the citys reentry programs primary focus
on connecting ex-offenders with living wage jobs.

Fixing the Fractured Relationship Between Police and Residents

Recent events occurring across the country have highlighted the rift between police officers and citizens,
and specifically between police and communities of color. Events in Ferguson, North Charleston, Staten
Island, and here in Philadelphia have called into question the level of trust between police and the
communities they serve and protect. Policies like Stop-and-Frisk have alienated sections of the City from
police, and the terrible allegations made against some police officers have given the Police Department
a black eye that stains the reputation of the many good, hard-working officers that permeate the
Department. As Mayor, Jim will work to rebuild trust between our citizens and our force by targeting the
issues that drive a wedge between our communities and the uniformed men and women who serve and
protect them.
1

As a City Councilman, Jim took a leadership role in fighting for fairer interactions between police and
residents by sponsoring and passing legislation that decriminalized the possession of a small amount of
marijuana in 2014.1 Jim heard from many young people of color in the city who had been arrested for
possessing a small amount of marijuana. As a result, these kids saw their futures ruined because of their
police record. In researching this issue, Kenney was specifically struck by the racial disparity found in
those arrested for marijuana possession. Over 80% of those arrested were African-American, which flies
in the face of national statistics on marijuana use.2 The direct correlation between these statistics is the
effect of Stop-and-Frisk. A community that does not trust police due to fear of retribution and
punishment for acts that are seemingly acceptable in other sections of the City cannot be considered
acceptable in Philadelphia any longer. This legislative and policy change has virtually eliminated the over
4,000 arrests a year for this minimal offense, allowing police to focus their limited resources on
preventing other crimes.
To continue to build and encourage trust between police and their communities, as mayor, Jim will:

End Stop-and-Frisk Policy. Philadelphia instituted a city-wide Stop-and-Frisk policy in 2008, and
in 2010 the ACLU and eight African-American and Latino men who had been stopped and frisked
filed suit against the City. In 2011, the parties in this case, Bailey, et al. v. City of Philadelphia,
reached agreement that the City would provide certain information to plaintiffs counsel
regarding stops and frisks done by the Police Department.3 The fifth, and most recent, report
has found that over 80% of those stopped during their data period were African-American or
Latino, and 89% of the frisks conducted were African-American or Latino.4 Additionally, 37% of
stops during their data period lacked any reasonable suspicion from the police officer, and 47%
of the frisks conducted lacked the requisite reasonable suspicion. While these numbers are an
improvement over previous reports that found over 50% of stops and frisks to lack reasonable
suspicion, it is still unacceptable.5 Arrests were only made in 7.5% of all stops conducted by
police.
Jim Kenney will not permit the continued prevalence of impermissible stops and frisks. Jim will
institute new Reasonable Suspicion Training so that all officers understand what is, and more
importantly what is not reasonable, and specifically its relation to a recently committed crime or
immediately to be committed crime. Additionally, Kenney will not permit quotas of stops by
police commanders. Data on stops and frisks will be logged, and officers who maintain high

City Council Bill 140377A

American Civil Liberties Union. The War on Marijuana in Black and White. June 2013.
3
Bailey, et al. v. City of Philadelphia. PLAINTIFFS FIFTH REPORT TO COURT AND MONITOR ON STOP AND FRISK
PRACTICES. February 24, 2015.
4
Id.
5
Id.
2
2

levels of unreasonable stops and frisks will be re-trained again to fully understand that activity
of this nature cannot be tolerated.

Hire and Promote Diversity in the Police Department. Jim Kenney believes that every city
department should look like the city population itself, diverse and encompassing many
backgrounds and ethnic heritages. Recruiting for government work isnt necessarily easy, and
finding individuals to serve as police officers, willing to risk their lives on a daily basis for their
fellow citizens, is especially difficult. Philadelphias Police Department has gotten more diverse,
but there is still progress to be made. The Police Department is currently only 33% African-
American, and a total of 43% minority.6 This is an improvement over the 19% minority
representation in 1987, but it still does not reflect the City overall. Additionally, there is a lack of
diversity in command positions, such as Lieutenants and Captains, with only 29% and 18%
African-American and Latino representation.7
Kenney believes that diversity in rank-and-file positions and leadership is a must for the Police
Department. As Mayor, Jim will direct his Police Commissioner to undertake a complete review
of recruitment methods in partnership with minority individuals in leadership and rank-and-file
positions. They will develop a strategic plan to recruit officers from a diverse group of people
that reflect 21st century Philadelphia. Jim will increase recruitment of students at historically
black colleges, LGBT individuals, and specifically people who are multilingual and represent
Philadelphias Latino, African and Asian communities. Additionally, Jim will ensure that
promotion, while merit and test-based, will include a diverse group of men and women who
have earned their position.

Implement Body Worn Cameras. The large-scale implementation of body-worn-cameras (BWC)

will be a priority for the Kenney administration. The use of BWCs has been extremely successful
in reducing instances of use of force and police abuse allegations, specifically those that are
unfounded, in other municipalities. Rialto, California outside Los Angeles saw an 88% reduction
in public complaints against officers, and use of force was reduced by 60%.8 The FY16 Budget
proposed by the Nutter administration contains funds to purchase 450 new BWCs and other
technical needs to use and store the camera footage.9 Commissioner Ramsey rightly notes in his
testimony that the costs of this program will be significant, specifically pertaining to data
storage. Jim understands this, but he believes the up-front investment is wise for the city to
make. Not only do the cameras increase both officer and community safety, they also will save
the city millions in lawsuits. In FY14, Philadelphia settled $41 million in indemnity obligations,

Malcolm Burnley and Patrick Kerkstra. Philadelphia Police Force Still Far Whiter Than City Itself. Philadelphia
Magazine. April 14, 2015.
7
Philly.com. (Lack of) Diversity in police ranks. January 2015.
8
Rory Carroll. California police use of body cameras cuts violence and complaints. The Guardian. November 4,
2013.
9
Commissioner Charles Ramsey. Philadelphia Police Department Budget Testimony. April 15, 2015.
3

and the City Solicitor attributed the $11 million increase from FY13 to among other things,
higher settlements in civil rights cases.10 Additionally, from 2009-2014, the City settled $40
million in police misconduct lawsuits.11 With the city committing to $500,000 in FY16 for BWCs,
and the Obama administrations commitment to provide matching funds for many states and
municipalities, Kenney believes that with budgetary savings from implementation of the
program and lower legal costs, he will be able to expand the program and purchase another
2,000 cameras per year over the first three years of his term so that every officer can be
outfitted.

Implement 21st Century Policing Task Force and Department of Justices Assessment of
Deadly Force Reports. President Obama issued an Executive Order on December 18, 2014 that
established the Presidents Task Force on 21st Century Policing, chaired by Philadelphia Police
Commissioner Charles Ramsey. The Task Force issued its interim report on March 2, 2015, and it
contains several actionable items that the next Mayor should implement within the Police
Department. These include more emphasis on working collaboratively with community
members to identify problems and implement crime-fighting strategies, providing more crisis
intervention training to recruits and officers, working more closely with schools to intervene
before students become violent and how they can refocus energy from violence to learning, and
implementing more programming to build trust between youth and police.12 As mayor, Jim will
review and implement all of the reports recommendations that are applicable to Philadelphia.
The U.S. Department of Justice also released a report in early 2015 that reviewed the
Philadelphia Police Departments use of deadly force from 2007-2014, or 394 incidents. The
report made many findings specifically related to training and outfitting officers with electronic
control weapons, otherwise known as tasers, as an alternative to the use of their service
weapon. Mayor Nutter issued an Executive Order on March 25, 2015 to create the Police
Community Oversight Board to work with the Police Commissioner to implement the 91
recommendations included in the report.13 In addition to Temple University Beasley School of
Law Dean Joanne Epps, Mayor Nutter has appointed twenty-three additional Commissioners,
including Nina Ahmad, a member of Jim Kenneys Policy Committee, to work on implementing
the recommendations of this and the 21st Century Policing reports. As mayor, Jim will
reauthorize this Executive Order to continue the Commission and allow it to finish its work. Jim
will also direct his Police Commissioner to work with the Commission and implement its
recommendations.

10

City Solicitor Shelley Smith. Law Department Budget Testimony. April 16, 2014.
David Gambacorta. Open-government group eyes police-lawsuit settlements. Philadelphia Daily News. October
22, 2014.
12
st
The Presidents Task Force on 21 Century Policing. Interim Report. March 2015.
13
Executive Order No. 1-15.
4
11

Comprehensive and Continuing Education for Police Officers. Both policing reports issued in
2015 agree that more training and education should be given to police recruits in the academy,
and continuing instruction every year. Jim Kenney agrees, and he would go even beyond the
situational training and conflict resolution training suggested by the Department of Justice and
the Presidents Task Force. Jim will direct his Police Commissioner to institute specific academy
courses on the U.S. and Commonwealth Constitutions as it pertains to civilian rights, and he will
also push for a course on the history of civil rights in the United States. Nashville, TN, recently
instituted a similar course, and Philadelphia police recruits have used Washingtons Holocaust
Memorial Museum since 2008 as a way to show cadets the tragic history of people victimized
solely by prejudice.1415 As mayor, Jim will turn these one off events into real courses by
partnering with Philadelphias great colleges and universities. By providing this instruction
cadets will learn and understand the rights and protections of the Constitution, and learn more
fully that people were mauled and murdered trying to obtain those full rights and protections.
This will make them better people, and much better police officers.
In addition, Jim will institute continuing education and training courses for all police officers, as
part of their annual in-service, on Constitutional law changes and updates based off of recent
court opinions and legislative changes. The law is living and ever changing. As the enforcers of
that law, police officers must have regular updates on important changes to our legal system.
Jim Kenney will make sure this happens as mayor.

Reform Disciplinary Procedures. The Police and Firefighter Collective Bargaining Law,
colloquially known as Act 111, governs much of what can and cannot be done managerially for
Police and Fire employees across the Commonwealth. There are meant to be extra protections
for these employees because of their special status as safety workers, and to make up for their
inability to strike like other municipal or private-sector unions. The Act requires that Unions and
City management work collectively and in good faith to implement changes. Some City
administrations have taken steps to work around these required negotiations, and they have in
turn been rejected by the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board (PLRB), including most recently
last year pertaining to a new disciplinary code implemented in the Police Department in 2010.16
While the new code was praised by legal experts to meet national standard, much of it was
rejected by the PLRB because of the strong protections of Act 111. The code was eventually
adopted as part of the most recent Act 11 Arbitration Award between the City and FOP Lodge 5.
Jim Kenney believes that it is clear that further disciplinary changes are in order. A Police
Advisory Commission (PAC) report late in 2014 found that in 26 cases reviewed by the PAC, 19
cases resulted in the officer being reinstated through arbitration.17 Jim knows that in order to

14

Metro police take part in civil rights training. April 7, 2015. WSMV Nashville.
Tim Jimenez. Philadelphia Police Recruits Leave For Holocaust Museum Trip. KYW. April 7, 2015.
16
Mark Fazlollah. Phila. police temporarily halt disciplining officers. Philadelphia Inquirer. June 1, 2014.
17
Police Advisory Commission. 2012-2013 Annual Report. November 12, 2014.
5
15

build public trust, the citizens of Philadelphia must know that Philadelphia Police who do not act
or behave appropriately will be held accountable for their actions. Because of State law, this
process must be collaborative between union representation, and city administration. After
being sworn-in as mayor in January 2016, Jim will direct his City Solicitor and Police
Commissioner to review the new Disciplinary Code adopted in 2014, determine whether it is
effective, and if it is not, negotiate with the FOP for disciplinary code changes that further
implement national standards, and ensure bad officers are not permitted to continue serving.
Jim Kenney believes that officers who lie, use hate speech, break the law, use undue force or
otherwise disgrace the uniform and reputation of thousands of good officers, should be held
accountable, and should not continue to wear a badge for the City of Philadelphia.

Support Police Advisory Commission. Initiated by Executive Order and City Council Ordinance in
1993, the Police Advisory Commission fields complaints, conducts audits, provides proactive
oversight, provides public reporting and data on police issues and conducts public meetings and
community outreach. The PACs greatest challenge is its overall lack of funding.18 Philadelphias
police oversight agency lags behind New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Washington, and even
Pittsburgh in funding its police oversight agency. At $282,387 a year, the PACs funding is closer
to Berkley, CA, and only amounts to $42 an officer.19 As mayor, Jim will steadily increase the
funding of the Police Advisory Commission so it is more reflective of other large cities in the U.S.
Over his term, Kenney will look to increase funding so that the costs per citizen for operation
will be at parity with other large cities such as Los Angeles and Kansas City, which spend close to
$1 per citizen. With this standard, Kenney will increase PAC funding to $1.5 million over a period
of four years. This funding should help pay for itself, with increased savings from more frequent
audits, and less legal costs associated with inappropriate actions by police officers that are
found and removed before they commit serious civil rights violations that cost the City millions
in settlements.

Ensuring Police Officers and Firefighters Have Resources They Need

During his 23 years on City Council, Jim Kenney was a constant supporter of the rights of Philadelphias
first responders and safety workers. Whether it was raising funds for bullet proof vests, fighting mayoral
administrations for fair contracts, or working to ensure that fire apparatus and police vehicles are in
working conditions, Jim has consistently worked to ensure fire and police personnel have had what they
need to stay safe, and get their jobs done.20 As Philadelphia moves forward, Kenney will be dedicated to
providing the support and supplies necessary on a daily basis. As mayor, Jim will:

18

Id.
Id.
20
City Council Resolution 130596, Resolution 130728.
19

21

Upgrade and Renovate Police Stations and Firehouses. In May 2010, City Controller Alan
Butkovitz issued a follow-up to 2006 report on the deplorable conditions in Police Department
facilities across Philadelphia.21 From electrical and plumbing issues, to structural and mechanical
issues, the report outlines the overall disrepair that these facilities have fallen into over decades
of neglect. In addition, Philadelphia firehouses have been closed in the recent past for months at
a time for suspicious odors and make year-long repairs to a fire damaged station in the heart of
the Old City tourist district. This firehouse stands on the location of the first firehouse in the
original colonies, opened by Benjamin Franklin in the 18th century. As Philadelphia continues
work on a new, state of the art Police Headquarter facility in West Philadelphia, Jim Kenney
believes that more must be done to repair and renovate the facilities that the front-line officers
use on a daily basis. The Department of Public Property has conducted a census of needed
repairs at these facilities and ranked them on the basis of need. The FY16 Capital Budget
includes $16 million for firehouse and police station repairs, which is a good start.22 These funds
have been steadily building over several fiscal years because of the citys incapacity to complete
the projects. As mayor, Jim will work with Public Property and Philadelphia's building and
construction trades to develop a plan to use these funds to the maximum effect. Buildings in
poor conditions will be given highest priority, and if the some of the repairs are more expensive
than building a new facility, the city will begin designs and plans to build that new facility. With
the funds in place, Jim Kenney will spend them efficiently and effectively to improve conditions
for first responders across Philadelphia.

Replace Aging Vehicles and Apparatus. The past several years have seen multiple reports of Fire
Apparatus breakdowns, fires, and malfunctions causing multi-vehicle accidents across
Philadelphia. The incident that caused the closure of the nations first firehouse at 4th and Arch
Streets was caused by a malfunction in a the engine of a medic units, forcing firefighters to turn
their hoses on their own home building. In 2008 the Department of Fleet Management noted
that the condition of fire apparatus were unsafe, yet in a hearing call by then-Councilman Jim
Kenney in 2013, the Fleet Manager noted that due to budget constraints the situation had not
improved, and many vehicles were still in an unsafe condition. Additionally, the Police
Department pulled over 280 vehicles from the street because of issues with the vehicle frames,
and after a cruiser burst into flames on a South Philadelphia street.23 Jim believes these
situations and conditions are unacceptable. As mayor, Jim will invest significant capital funds in
the purchase of new fire apparatus and medic units to replace the citys aging fleet, and ensure
that police vehicles are safe and replaced regularly considering the daily grind these cars take on
city streets. Some Capital Budget money has been allocated in the Five-Year-Plan for these
purchases, and Jim will fully review those allocations and look to increase them.

Philadelphia City Controller. Follow-up Inspections of Police Facilities. May 2010.

Mike Dunn. City Council, Administration Spar Over Condition of Philadelphia Police and Fire Houses. KYW. April
1, 2015.
23
Vince Lattanzio. Philadelphia Police Pull Cruisers from Street for Safety Checks in Wake of Car Fire. NBC10.
November 19, 2014.
7
22

Reducing Crime and Improving Safety

Commissioner Charles Ramsey, District Attorney Seth Williams, Mayor Nutter and the hardworking men
and women of the Philadelphia Police Department and District Attorneys office deserve much credit for
the tremendous reduction in crime, and specifically violent crime, in the last several years. Philadelphia
saw 248 murders in 2014, which while one more fatality than the previous year, this number is still
lower than any year since 1967 in Philadelphia.24 Overall violent crime fell 7%, along with drops in
shootings, robberies and aggravated assaults with a gun. While terrific progress has been made, Jim
Kenney believes that Philadelphia can still improve and become a safer place. Jim is focused on reducing
crime by using proven approaches and strategies that are data-driven and can be replicated and
expanded. As mayor, Jim will:

Expand the use of Focused Deterrence Strategy. Developed by David Kennedy and detailed in
his book, Dont Shoot: One Man, A Street Fellowship, and The End of Violence in Inner-City
America, Focused Deterrence works under the assumption that there are only a few people in
each community committing the highest percentage of crime and violence. In the 1990s,
Kennedy, then a professor at Harvard University, found that Boston police were successfully
communicating with gang members, and organizing meetings with local clergy members to
discourage their behavior in a program called Boston Ceasefire.25 These call-ins gave police
the opportunity to let gang members know that they knew who they were, where they lived,
who they lived with and what they were doing. At the call-ins they heard from community
members who had been victimized by their violence, and they heard from police that there
would be harsher and more serious ramifications if the violence continued.26 They were also
given hope however. They were told that the government knew how difficult it was to get out of
their cycle of violence and crime. These young people were told they could get help with
education, employment or ending their addictions. Most importantly, after these call-ins, both
sides lived up to their word. If a gang member committed violence, there were significant
criminal penalties for all members of that gang. But, if someone asked for help they got it, and
many were able to turn their lives around for the better. A tremendous success, this was called
the Boston Miracle.27 The program was not continued however, and shortly thereafter
violence and shootings were back on the rise.
In 2013, Philadelphia Police, in collaboration with the District Attorney, Attorney General and a
whole host of other partners, began implementing this program in South Philadelphia. Led by
First Asst. D.A. Ed McCann and Brian Lentz, Fmr. Chief of the Gun Violence Task Force, this

24

Dylan Purcell and Aubrey Whelan. Phila.'s murder rate at historic low: A look at why. Philadelphia Inquirer.
January 4, 2015.
25
Bryan Lentz and Andrew Wellbrock. Focused Deterrence in Philadelphia. Philadelphia Social Innovations Journal.
26
Id.
27
Id.
8

coalition began targeting gangs and groups in South Philadelphia for intervention.28 They held
their first call-in at City Hall in April 2013, where gang members were given a similar message to
that in Boston, and significant help was offered. Within an hour of the meeting, two of the forty
attendees had already called for help, and dozens more would follow.
As mayor, Jim will make sure that Focused Deterrence is not just another program, but that it is
a strategy for police across Philadelphia. Working with the District Attorneys office, the Police
Department will determine the most serious crime hot spots in the City and begin
implementation of this strategy. The success of this program in South Philadelphia should foster
additional collaboration from community partners and other governmental and social agencies,
and the City will do its part. Necessary resources will be aligned from existing governmental
structures so additional resources should be minimal.

Improve Neighborhood Community Policing. Jim Kenney believes that in order for
neighborhoods to feel and be safe, police must be trusted and wanted members and
participants in each community. These positive interactions used to be commonplace in
Philadelphia and other large cities. Beat-cops were a trusted resource in most neighborhoods,
but the mechanization of policing has limited this once positive interaction. Commissioner
Ramsey moved to implement community policing again early in his tenure. These community
patrols are done by newly graduated cadets in most areas for foot patrols, and the Department
has also seen an increase in the number of bike patrols. The key takeaway is that these foot and
bike patrols work. In 2009, Temple University studied an increase in community policing in
several hot spots or violent crime zones in Philadelphia, and the results are noteworthy.
Violent crime was reduced by 23%, with the targeted areas seeing 90 fewer violent crimes.29
Also, foot patrol officers were more likely to intervene in community-service type interaction,
while car patrols were more likely to be concerned with major crimes or adversarial stops.30
The Use-of-Force spectrum notes that the lowest level, Officer Presence, is considered the
best way to resolve a situation, and is usually the easiest way to stop or prevent crime.31 If this
presence is augmented by proper and helpful interactions between police and residents, it
cannot help but improve overall relations and make the city a safer place. As mayor, Jim will
implement a fuller community-policing model to include more foot and bike patrols across the
city. Utilizing existing personnel, these patrols will improve conditions on neighborhood
commercial corridors to support businesses, and in neighborhoods where traditional policing
hasnt reduced overall crime. While Jim realizes that community policing of this order is not a

28

Mike Newall. Targeting South Philly's top criminals. Philadelphia Inquirer. November 4, 2013.
Ratcliffe, J. H., Taniguchi, T., Groff, E.R., & Wood, J. (2011). The Philadelphia Foot Patrol Experiment: A
randomized controlled trial of police patrol effectiveness in violent crime hotspots. Criminology, 49(3), 795-831
30
Groff, E.R., Johnson, L., Ratcliffe, J.H. and Wood, J. (2013) Exploring the relationship between foot and car patrol
in violent crime areas. Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies and Management, 36(1): 119-139.
31
National Institute for Justice. The Use-of-Force Continuum. August 4, 2009.
9
29

panacea, he believes it can be combined with a number of initiatives to improve relations, and
make people safer.

Implement ShotSpotter and Increased Video Surveillance. In addition to community policing,

the Kenney administration will implement and use technology to improve safety in
neighborhoods across Philadelphia. Shotspotter, a gunshot detection tool that allows cities to
track gunfire and develop proactive policing strategies, has been used successfully right cross
the Delaware River in Camden to reduce gunfire by 48%.32 New York City has also begun a
ShotSpotter pilot program in two Boroughs, and the technology has been used in Washington,
Denver and Oakland.33 Philadelphia City Council first called for implementation of this
technology in 2007, but it has not yet been pursued. The current administration has
implemented a smaller scale program of five infrared sensors to detect muzzle flashes at the
location of existing CCTV cameras in Philadelphia.34 As mayor, Jim will review this existing
program, and implement a ShotSpotter pilot program within the first two years of his term in
high crime areas to assist police in finding and reducing instances of gun violence.
Philadelphia Polices CCTV program has been anything but robust since it began over a decade
ago. As of 2014 there were only 219 active police-operated cameras in Philadelphia, and
according to the citys Chief Innovation Officer, from 89% - 92% are active at a given time.35 The
size of this program pales in comparison to that of close neighbor Baltimore, which operates
nearly 600 CCTV cameras.36 Philadelphia has supplemented its lack of CCTV cameras with
partnerships with residents and businesses as part of SafeCam, which allows camera owners to
register their name and address so police can access those cameras as part of an investigation.
As mayor, Jim will direct his Police Commissioner to undergo a thorough review of CCTV and
SafeCam cameras and determine where Philadelphia lacks camera access and information. After
cross-checking this information for high crime areas, Jim will look to fill-in the gaps and
implement new cameras where needed.

32

Fight for Stronger Gun Laws. Over the past ten years, Philadelphia has made multiple attempts
to enact municipal laws to combat the prevalence of guns on city streets. In 2008, City Council
passed two Ordinances to limit handgun sales to one per month, and also prohibit the sale of
assault weapons at city gun shops.37 Jim Kenney proudly supported this legislation, but due to
interference and preemption by the General Assembly, these laws were never enforced. As

Liz Spikol. Heres How Camden Reduced Gunfire by Nearly 50 Percent. Philadelphia Magazine. April 2, 2015.
Mark Berman. New York City is rolling out ShotSpotter, a surveillance network for gunshots. Washington Post.
March 16, 2015.
34
Dustin Slaughter. New Details on Body Cameras, Gunshot Detection Surveillance Revealed During Police
Budget Testimony. The Declaration. April 15, 2015.
35
Philadelphia City Council. Committee of the Whole Hearing Transcript. March 25, 2014.
36
Luke Broadwater. City surveillance camera system to expand. Baltimore Sun. July 21, 2012.
37
City Council Ordinances 080033, 080035
10
33

mayor, Jim will be a strong advocate for both State and Federal gun laws just as Mayor Nutter
has been. In addition, Jim will be a strong advocate for the repeal of Stand Your Ground laws,
sometimes called Castle Doctrine in Pennsylvania. These laws proliferate so-called justifiable
homicides, and do nothing to make neighborhoods any safer. Getting these weapons off of city
streets and out of the hands of criminals is both the responsibility of police officers, and political
leaders. Jim will stand up against the NRA, and work with other leaders across Pennsylvania and
the country to do the same.

38

Review Police District Allocations and Boundaries. The Philadelphia Police Department is
divided across the City into 21 separate Districts, and each District is broken into up to four
Public Service Areas (PSA). These District designations have been in place for some time, and the
past several years have seen consolidation of Districts in some areas, including the 3rd and 4th
Districts in South Philadelphia. The 15th District, operating in Northeast Philadelphia has been
called the busiest in the City, handling more calls than every other District.38 There has been an
effort to split the 15th into two separate Districts to allow for a better allocation of resources. As
mayor, Jim will direct his Police Commissioner to conduct a thorough review of the 15th, and
other Police Districts to determine whether splitting or consolidating Districts makes logistical
sense, and would improve public safety.

More Effectively Use Police Time and Resources. As Jim Kenney noted in 2014 during
discussions over the decriminalization of small amounts of marijuana, Philadelphia must
prioritize its police resources to use them more effectively and efficiently. The over 4,000 arrests
for marijuana possession led to 17,000 hours of police time wasted for a minimal offense.39
These police hours should be redirected to serious offenses and providing coverage and
presence to limit the instances of crime. Other cities, specifically New York, have stepped back
from the major enforcement of low-level offenses and have not seen a major increase in serious
crime as a result.40 Meanwhile, other cities like St. Louis, have increased fines and enforcement
for low-level offenses that have amounted to nothing more than an increase of the so-called
poverty tax.41 In 2013, Philadelphia issued 14,662 citations for simple offenses like loitering
and for the sale of loose cigarettes.42 Jim believes that Philadelphia has a responsibility to its
citizens and taxpayers to efficiently and effectively use its limited police resources. As mayor,
Jim will work with his Police Commissioner to redirect resources to serious offenses and limit
the negative effects of over-policing impoverished communities.

Dan Geringer. Philly's most crime-ridden district gets 30 new cops. Philadelphia Daily News. September 16, 2014.
Based on two hours per arrest as found by the Drug Policy Alliance and Marijuana Arrest Research Project.
40
Rocco Parascandola. EXCLUSIVE: NYPD Commissioner Bratton predicts cops will have 1 million fewer law
enforcement contacts with public in 2015. New York Daily News. March 26, 2015.
41
Radley Balko. How municipalities in St. Louis County, Mo., profit from poverty. The Washington Post. September
3, 2014.
42
Daniel Denvir and Ryan Briggs. Is broken windows Philly's new stop-and-frisk? City Paper. August 1, 2014.
11
39

Reduce Youth Violence and Create Opportunity. From 2007-2013, 5,051 young Philadelphians
aged 14-24 were shot or killed.43 This high level of violence concentrated in one age group of
people is staggering, and speaks to the larger societal issues plaguing many Philadelphia
neighborhoods. Poor schools, lack of social services and a social network and few economic
opportunities have dragged neighborhoods down for decades, and this in turn has created
generation after generation of young people who resort to crime, drugs and violence in order to
support themselves and survive. Specifically, crime spikes for juveniles from 3pm-6pm,
immediately after school when these young people have little to occupy their time. Jim Kenney
believes that the Nutter administration has put the city on a good track with the development of
the Strategic Plan to Reduce Youth Violence, and as mayor, Jim will look to provide additional
financial and structural support to this important program moving forward. In addition, Jim
believes that a larger focus on improving education, and specifically through the development of
Community Schools that provide extra social services and opportunities for young people after
normal schools hours, can significantly help in this area. Reducing violence across the board will
be a priority for the Kenney administration, with a special focus on improving the lives of these
young people.

End Fire Department Mass Transfers and Brownouts. In 2012, the Philadelphia Fire Department
adopted a policy allowing for the involuntary transfer of a large number of firefighters to
different firehouses. The administration at that time mentioned a need to diversify skills and
give firefighters the ability to learn about different areas of Philadelphia. As Jim Kenney noted at
the time, this new policy was not supported by national best practices, and wasnt necessary to
diversify skills and knowledge of senior members.44 In fact, this transfer would eliminate much
of the institutional knowledge built up by firefighters who have spent 15-25 years in a single
unit, getting to know their neighbors, and every back-alley and dead end street in their service
area. As mayor, Jim will end this policy of yearly transfers, and seek to diversify firefighting skills
through enhanced regular training utilizing local and national best practices.
Beginning in 2010, the Nutter administration began the process known as brownouts or
temporary station closures to redirect resources and save money in overtime. The
administration claims to save $3 million year through this process. The savings never happened
however, as even with the brownouts the Fire Department exceeded its overtime budget by
$3.9 million in the first year of the policy.45 In 2014, the administration said they would begin to
phase-out the use of brownouts, but they still continue today. Additionally, emergency
response times have still lagged behind, and while brownouts may not have proven a great
danger, they have certainly not helped improve public safety in Philadelphia. As mayor, Jim will
completely end this policy that has hampered response times and hasnt saved the city money.

43

City of Philadelphia. Philadelphias Strategic Plan to Reduce Youth Violence. September 2013.
City Council Committee on Labor and Civil Service. Committee Hearing Transcript. November 27, 2014.
45
Jan Ransom. Fire-response times are up, but city says brownouts aren't to blame. Philadelphia Daily News.
August 2, 2011.
12
44

46

Protect Documented and Undocumented Immigrants. Jim Kenney has been at the forefront of
supporting Philadelphias immigrant community, both documented and undocumented, for his
entire professional career. Jim will continue to stand up and support individuals who come to
Philadelphia in search of a better life. As mayor, Jim will:

Continue to Deny ICE Detainer Requests. Jim has consistently spoken out against city
government cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the federal
department tasked with finding and deporting undocumented immigrants. Working
with Councilwoman Maria Quiones-Sanchez in 2011, Kenney worked to stop the citys
sharing of arrest data with ICE, specifically if someone has not been convicted of a
crime.46 Additionally, in 2014, Kenney again advocated for this vulnerable group by
urging Mayor Nutter to end cooperation with ICE detainer requests. In these situations,
the city would hold someone, without a warrant, at the request of ICE and without any
reimbursement from the federal government. Kenney was successful, and Mayor Nutter
signed the Executive Order on April 16, 2014.47 As mayor, Jim will continue this Order,
and explore legislative changes that make the situations for immigrants better in
Philadelphia.

Implement a Municipal I.D. Program. With the Commonwealths failure to provide

identification to many Philadelphians, and specifically new documented and
undocumented immigrants, Jim believes it is incumbent upon Philadelphia take action.
In order to avoid predatory schemes, like fly-by-night Notarios offering immigrants
assistance in gaining residency, Philadelphia has an opportunity to bring some
undocumented and documented individuals above the surface, and fully integrate into
municipal society. To that end, Jim will develop and implement a Municipal I.D. program
modeled on programs launched in New York City, San Francisco, and other large
progressive cities. Philadelphia Police will accept the identification for crime reporting,
and the city will partner with banks to allow them to accept the ID as sufficient to open
and maintain bank accounts.

Coordinate Resources to Support Victims of Domestic Violence. Last year, Philadelphias

Domestic Violence Hotline answered 9,798 calls, with 83% of the callers identifying themselves
as victims of domestic violence.48 According to the most recent statewide statistics, in 2013, city
courts processed 11,997 protection from abuse cases.49 From 2009-2013, 131 homicides in
Philadelphia were related to domestic violence. While disproportionately linked to poverty and

Elizabeth Fiedler. Philadelphia City Council members urge Mayor and DA to ice immigration deal. Newsworks.
August 11, 2011.
47
Executive Order 1-14
48
Women Against Abuse, 2014 Annual Report.
49
Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts, Research and Statistics.
13

homelessness, domestic violence cuts across all socioeconomic levels. Many victims suffer in
silence because they are embarrassed or fear even greater mistreatment. Whole families,
including children who witness abuse, suffer. As a Councilman, Jim supported protections for
domestic abuse victims to prevent employers and landlords from discriminating against them.50
As mayor, he will:

50

Appoint a Domestic Violence Coordinator within the Managing Directors Office. To

advance Jims goal for Philadelphia to become a national model in responding to
domestic violence, he will appoint a Domestic Violence Coordinator within the
Managing Directors office to set goals for reducing incidences of domestic violence and
improve the coordination and provision of services. The Coordinator will work closely
with groups working to combat domestic violence and assist victims, including the
advocacy community, non-governmental service providers, law enforcement, city
agencies and religious institutions.

Provide Public Awareness Training to City Employees. Many city employees work on a
daily basis in neighborhoods throughout the city, serving as the eyes and ears of
dangerous conduct that is not always clearly visible. Jim will ensure that all these
employees are also well trained in connecting domestic violence victims and their
families with the appropriate resources both inside and outside government. The
development of Community Schools, which Jim championed in his Education Plan as an
optimal way to reach neighborhood populations in need during the day and also
evening hours, will ensure greater access to and use of these resources.

Invest More Resources in Combating Domestic Violence. The Kenney administration

will work with service providers such as Women Against Abuse to implement their
multi-faceted 2015-2019 Strategic Plan and Advocacy Guide. The city must invest more
resources into prevention, treatment and victim services and break down silos among
service providers. If the budget allows, Jim will allocate funding to enhance the amount
and quality of representation of victims of domestic violence. In the meantime, the
Domestic Violence Coordinator will work with local law firms, the Philadelphia Bar
Association and pro bono programs like Philadelphia VIP to help recruit and train
attorneys to represent victims in need of legal services.

Help School Age Children Develop More Healthy Relationships. As Jim said in his
Education Plan, Philadelphia must do more to provide the right social services and
support for children. A report referenced in a recent Philadelphia Inquirer found that
20% of teens of both sexes reported being the victim of physical and sexual dating

Bill No. 110050, Fair Practices Ordinance: Protections Against Unlawful Discrimination, Passed 3.10.11; Bill No.
090660-A, Entitlement to Leave Due to Domestic or Sexual Violence, Passed 11.19.09.
14

abuse.51 The Domestic Violence Coordinator will also work closely with the School
District of Philadelphia to promote the teaching of skills to develop healthy relationships
and resolve conflicts without resorting to violence.

Providing Opportunities for Formerly Incarcerated Persons

Jim Kenney firmly believes that individuals who have served their time and repaid their debt to society
for past crimes should be given a chance at redemption and success. Denying this opportunity only
perpetuates a cycle of recidivism that leads back to prison, or to an early grave. Jim has consistently
supported reentry programming, proudly supporting the City Council Ordinance banning businesses
from asking a person whether they have a criminal record on an initial job application.52 While this
legislation was a great first step, Jim knows that the City can and must do more to help these people
become productive members of society. Reducing the prison population and providing employment for
just 100 individuals can provide an additional $1.9 million in Wage Tax revenue for the city.53 Reducing
the Philadelphia Prison population by 1,500 could save the city $24 million a year. As mayor, Jim will:

Fully Enforce and Strengthen Ban-the-Box. With the passing of this legislation in 2011,
Philadelphia joined a host of other progressive cities in limiting this type of workplace
discrimination. Applying to companies employing ten or more people, the ordinance prohibits
employers from asking about a criminal arrest or conviction on an initial job application or
interview. Allegations of a violation of the ordinance are reviewed by the Philadelphia
Commission on Human Relations, who then can assign a penalty of up to $2000 for the offense.
One major issue with implementation has been a lack of available resources to the Commission
to enforce this and its other city responsibilities, such as the Fair Practices Ordinance. In 2013,
Newsworks found that several large employers were still requiring applicants to answer a
criminal record question on their job application.54 As mayor, Jim will work to increase the
budget for the Commission so they can hire more investigators to look into violation allegations,
and also do more proactive outreach to businesses and review their job applications and hiring
practices before any people are negatively affected.
It is widely acknowledged that San Francisco has the strongest Ban-the-Box ordinance. This law
requires employees take into account the time elapsed between the offense and application,
whether the conduct could recur in the position and the employers must conduct an
individualized assessment taking factors that might evidence rehabilitation or mitigating

51

Kelly Davis. Help teens navigate dangers of domestic violence. Philadelphia Inquirer. March 23, 2015.
City Council Bill 110111A
53
Economy League of Greater Philadelphia. Economic Benefits of Employing Formerly Incarcerated Individuals in
Philadelphia. September 2011.
54
Holly Otterbein. Banning the box: Who's the offender now? Newsworks. December 31, 2013.
15
52

circumstances.55 Jim believes that the City government has a responsibility to lead on this issue.
As mayor, he will instruct his Director of Human Resources to bring the city into full compliance
with the guidelines set by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in its 2012
Enforcement Guidance. These guidelines give employers instruction on how to ensure formerly
incarcerated persons are not discriminated against in employment. Additionally, Jim will work
with City Council to amend Philadelphias law to bring it in line with cities like San Francisco that
have the strongest protections in the nation.

Expand Expungement Services. With over 300,000 Philadelphians living with a criminal record,
it will be incumbent upon the next mayor to develop and implement a robust plan to expunge
and redact criminal records for low-level and nonviolent criminal offenses. These records are
tremendous inhibitors for people to be able to obtain and keep a job. White men with criminal
records are 50% less likely than non-offenders to receive a call back, while black men with
criminal records are 64% less likely to receive a call back.56 Jim Kenney realizes that the only way
to level the field in this regard is though a large-scale effort to expunge and redact old criminal
records that are holding back thousands of people across Philadelphia. As mayor, Jim will work
with the District Attorney and First Judicial District to try and simplify the process for
expungement through dedicated judges to hear petitions. Jim will also work with the citys law
schools at the University of Pennsylvania, Temple University and Drexel University, and
nonprofit partners like Community Legal Services, Philadelphia Lawyers for Social Equity and
others to make access to expungement services easier. Utilizing the Mayors Office of
Reintegration Services (RISE), people will be matched with an organization to assist in the
expungement of their record.

Improve Training and Education at Philadelphia Prison Facilities. People held at Department of
Prisons facility in Philadelphia are in most cases there for short durations of time either before
or after State incarceration, awaiting trial or are given a short sentence. It is also very expensive
to house someone for this period, in upwards of 40,000 a year. Instead of just housing and
feeding individuals, Philadelphia should take the time to provide real education and job training
for those being held. As mayor, Jim will make education a priority by working to provide GED
assistance to anyone incarcerated in a Philadelphia facility. Currently, any training received
through the prisons is nearly impossibly to advertise for formerly incarcerated persons. The
Kenney administration will have a an office under the Managing Director dedicated to providing
assistance to employers seeking references for training received in Philadelphia Prisons. This
office will confirm the training without saying that it was received as part of an incarceration.
Additionally, Philadelphia government should lead in this respect. Through a day-release or
supervised release program, Philadelphias incarcerated persons will partner with City

55

Philip L. Gordon, Zoe M. Argento. San Francisco's Board of Supervisors "Bans The Box" and Further Complicates
Criminal History Checks by the City's Employers. February 10, 2014.
56
Holly Otterbein. Banning the box: Who's the offender now? Newsworks. December 31, 2013.
16

departments to work alongside city workers. Unlike the prison farms of the 19th and 20th
centuries, these programs will provide soon-to-be returning citizens with socialization in a
professional setting and lay out a pathway to employment. Proper vetting will ensure that safety
risks are not created through this program, but those with non-violent offenses should be given
an opportunity to be engaged in their government services.

Create a Robust Re-Entry Employment Program. The above proposals will improve conditions
for formerly incarcerated persons, but training and education will only go so far. Philadelphia
must become a leader in employing and assisting returning citizens. Over 85,000 formerly
incarcerated persons returned to Philadelphia from 2008-2012, over 15,000 a year.57
Philadelphia must better serve these individuals, and try and avoid extra costs in social services
and possible additional incarceration that will come from high recidivism. The Kenney
administration will work with the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections and the Federal
Bureau of Prisons to get a listing of those individuals returning to Philadelphia, and specifically
what skills and interests they have. While Philadelphia cannot specifically dictate what skills or
education are given to individual in state or federal facilities, the city should be prepared for
their return to offer guidance, employment opportunities and support.
Through this effort, Jim will work with employers to improve the Philadelphia Reentry
Employment Program (PREP), which provides a tax credit for employers who hire formerly
incarcerated persons. Much of the current reentry work is minimum to low wage, and a living
wage with benefits should be mandatory. Under Kenney, the Mayors Office of Reintegration
Services will partner with businesses that pay workers a living-wage to ensure that people do
not fall into poverty and recidivism. While the city may not be able to place returning citizen in
these jobs, Jim is committed to a robust plan that employs significantly more people in living
wage jobs than the status quo. The businesses that participate in this program will be given
additional incentives to employ more people in higher wage positions. Matching employers in
this way, similar to Jims plan to match employers with Community College and High School
curriculums, will help employ thousands of more individuals and keep them out of the poverty-
prison cycle that degrades communities.

In a 21st century urban environment, increasing public safety means different things in all corners of
the city. The only right strategy is to make our police officers part of the community and give all
Philadelphians overwhelming opportunities to do good, even after they falter. - Jim Kenney

57

Emily Babay. The struggle with life in Philly, after serving time in prison. Philly.com. April 27, 2014.
17