Former D.C. Police Chief Charles Ramsey, who was named Philadelphia police commissioner last November, has set aggressive targets to reduce violent crime there by 20 percent this year and aim for nearly 100 fewer homicides in a city beset by almost 400 homicides last year, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported yesterday.
Ramsey, who served as the District's top cop from 1998 until 2006, is using some pages from his D.C. play book in Philadelphia, including deploying more officers to the streets, eliminating some support bureaus, and creating new training programs, the Inquirer reported.
Ramsey was credited with revamping the D.C. police force and reducing crime, although some crime statistics reported by his department later proved to be inaccurate. One D.C. strategy that Ramsey won't be repeating is his declaration of "crime emergencies," which allowed him to quickly shift officers' schedules and restrict their days off when homicides spiked in the District in the summer of 2006. The plan was very unpopular with the rank and file. Ramsey said yesterday he plans to create a mobile force of Philadelphia officers who volunteer to work extra shifts during high-crime summer weekends.
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