Philadelphia swore in its first female Mayor, Cherelle Parker, on January 2, 2024, and she hit the ground running. After her inauguration, Parker promptly signed an executive order declaring a Public Safety Emergency to tackle rampant crime.
The Democrat mayor and long-serving councilwoman announced she’s taking a new approach to some of the city’s oldest problems. She campaigned on a centrist platform of safety, jobs, and city services. Before Parker, the constant crimes in the city in recent years gave the impression that the city officials do not enforce laws.
Parker said her emergency order would “expeditiously” get every available resource into neighborhoods struggling with the skyrocketing crime rate. Also, she said it would also help with gun violence, drugs, and addiction. Parker said she tasked her new police commissioner, Kevin Bethel, with creating crisis plans.
“Car theft, shoplifting, yes, retail theft and the illegal use of ATVs that diminish our quality of life,” said Philadelphia’s 100th Mayor. “We’re gonna make our city safe for the people who live here and work here.”
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During Mayor Parker’s inaugural address, she touched on change in enforcement. Also, she talked about developing a strategy to shut down all open-air drug markets in the city permanently. During her campaign, she promised to hire 300 more police officers, including community officers, and restore ‘constitutional’ stop-and-frisk.
In addition, Parker suggested making school year-round to reduce juvenile delinquency in the city. Also, Parker’s plans include increasing the number of police officers on the streets. The Mayor focuses on community policing, a policy she championed on the city council.
“Officers [are] there as guardians and not warriors,” Parker said during her inaugural speech. She also noted that officers should get to know the people they swore to protect and serve. In October 2023, footage of a dirt bike rider jumping on the roof of a parked car shocked the city.
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The footage shows a 23-year-old mother and her children sitting inside. The man jumped on the glass of the rear window and shattered it. However, when the woman confronted him, a gun fell out of his pocket. Also, he head-butted her with his motorbike helmet on before speeding off.
Afterward, officials arrested and charged 26-year-old Cody Heron with assault, among other charges. Besides her fight against retail theft and gun violence, Parker said cleaning up the Kensington drug market is a priority. The city’s Kensington neighborhood is notorious for shocking scenes of people with an addiction injecting themselves in broad daylight.
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Parker told residents that she’ll be aggressive in cleaning up the open-air drug market. “If somebody tells you ‘we think she lacks compassion,'” she said. “You tell them to think about whether they would want their loved one on the streets openly using intravenous drugs.”
In addition, the newly-inaugurated Mayor said she intends to prepare the city for 2026 to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary. She said Philadelphia is open for business. “We are going to bring together local, state, and federal officials,” Parker said.
“So that we can tap into the intellectual resources of Philadelphia and truly try to create economic opportunities for everyone.”
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