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When Michael Nutter entered South Philadelphia High School’s 2102 S. Broad St. auditorium Monday night for the first of six citywide Town Hall meetings hosted by Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey, the latter introduced the newly minted mayor by saying, "This is my boss."
Illustrating the new top cop’s sense of humor, the comment garnered chuckles and thunderous applause from the hundreds who packed the space from 7 to 9 p.m. A large number of those who turned out hailed from all over the city, including people making the trek from Germantown, Mount Airy, West Philly and Southwest Philly.
Ramsey, a former Washington, D.C., police chief, organized the forums in each of the city’s police divisions to solicit recommendations and advice from residents to help the department make neighborhoods safer. Those suggestions will be part of a crime proposal plan Nutter has asked Ramsey to prepare by Jan. 30.
"One thing that I’ve learned during my time as a police officer is that if we don’t have input from the community, we don’t really have a viable plan. We have got to get input from the community. These plans have to be tailored to fit the very neighborhoods in our community. This is not a one-size-fits-all proposition," Ramsey told the crowd.
Eager to be heard, dozens lined up at a microphone, with the commissioner taking notes on the stage. Most area residents, however, chose to remain silent, having attended the meeting to hear what was on Ramsey’s mind.
But the commissioner outlined no concrete plan of action to combat crime, instead insisting this was an information-gathering session for him and the dozens of commanders present.
Taking the microphone, Sheila Love, a 1st District block captain, provoked Ramsey’s ire when she referred to two separate shootings, where two men — one allegedly pulling a gun on an officer, the other allegedly reaching for a weapon — were shot and killed last weekend in Germantown and North Philly as "murders."
"You’re referring to two police shootings. Those weren’t murders," a visibly irked Ramsey told Love. "To refer to them as murder is just flat-out wrong and I don’t accept that."
Others who followed Love voiced concerns about tougher gun laws — to which Ramsey replied it was out of his power — and a more comprehensive witness protection program so people are not scared to come forward and provide information on crimes. The commissioner said he would work with the District Attorney’s Office to see what could be done about the latter since the program is offered through that office.
Packer Park resident and mother of a 17th District police officer, Vickey Saulino, said she attended the meeting because there is too much violence in the city — a lot of it committed against men and women in blue. "You point a gun at a cop, you should get shot. I’m not just saying that because my son is a police officer. I would feel that way even if he wasn’t," she said.
"We’ve got to get it down," Saulino said of crime rates in Philadelphia. "Hopefully, this commissioner can do it. He looks like he can to me."
When the Town Hall was over, local reaction was hopeful albeit mixed.
A 21-year-old from Fifth Street and Snyder Avenue, who did not want to give his name, commented no mention was made of alternatives to the street, such as jobs, for those committing crimes. "[The police are] saying ex-offenders and repeat offenders are doing all the crime — just give them an opportunity to work, maybe we’ll not have so much crime in the city. [Residents and the city] need better opportunities," he said.
Michael Schmidt, from the area of 16th and Shunk streets, who is entering the Police Academy soon, attended with girlfriend Alexis and both wanted to hear what Ramsey had to say. "I don’t think there’s really any answer right now for any of this. More cops that’s about it," Schmidt said, adding his biggest concern for South Philly is "riffraff" in the street — anything from kids hanging out in packs late at night to the homeless wandering the area.
Dreama Ricco, from the 700 block of Hoffman Street, said she braved the rain to find new solutions to crime in her area, one plagued with drugs and gun violence. "They come outside my window and shoot guns, they don’t care. They don’t care if they’re seen, they don’t care if you know who they are. They turn around and say they have a gun and I say, ‘And?’ They think I’m going to back down. They try to intimidate," Ricco said.
Ricco takes her concerns and reports crime directly to the 4th District, choosing to bypass 911, which, she said, has gotten her nowhere in the past. "They either don’t come out or they take hours," she said.
Ricco’s daughter April Miller and Miller’s neighbor, Ramona Smith, both of the 2100 block of South Woodstock Street, came out because they feel there is too much crime in South Philly with drugs and shootings at the top of their list. Two years ago, Miller’s teenage son was heldup at gunpoint and robbed by a 13-year-old boy.
"I have teenage kids and I know a lot of the violence today is with teenage kids. I’m looking for a solution to keep my kids safe," Miller said.
All three were impressed with Ramsey’s community outreach and remain positive. "Considering what we had in the past, anything is hopeful for the future," Ricco said. "Hopefully, a new person from a new place will bring in new hope."
