Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel says early input on the strategic plan has focused on recruitment, retention, and wellness programs for officers.
Director of Public Safety Adam Geer has been working with Mayor Cherelle Parker and the Philadelphia Police Department on the five-year strategic plan.
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**Mayor Cherelle Parker discusses the new five-year safety plan with members of the Philadelphia Police Department at City Hall.**
—TRIBUNE PHOTO/ABDUL R. SULAYMAN
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Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel said Thursday he’s received a lot of community feedback over the new police uniforms that debuted this week. However, he hopes residents will be as engaged when discussing something more substantive—the city’s developing five-year strategic plan.
The city and the police department are actively seeking input from residents on this plan, which will shape the department’s vision and priorities for years to come. Residents can provide their feedback online by participating in the department’s survey. Although no specific engagement dates have been set, the consultation process is expected to continue through 2025.
A preliminary version of the plan should be ready in early 2026 for public comment sessions, with the final product scheduled for release at the end of February 2026—just before budget talks begin.
Commissioner Bethel noted that the plan builds on the 100-day plan introduced last year by Mayor Cherelle Parker, which has contributed to reducing homicides, violent crimes, and property crimes year-to-date. The city remains on track for the fewest homicides in over 50 years.
Bethel also highlighted that the police department has achieved a 40% clearance rate on shootings, aided by new technology.
He emphasized that the community has already been actively involved in providing input on various topics. The vision for the plan is shaped by close collaboration between the mayor, Director of Public Safety Adam Geer, police officers, and community members.
“That collective energy and that collective bond is going to drive us forward as an organization, not just today but for the five-year strategic plan that hopefully turns into a 10-year strategic plan, and also sets us up so those partnerships are important,” Bethel said on Thursday in the Mayor’s Reception Room inside City Hall.
“For this plan to succeed it must be built on trust. We talk about trust … How can you invest in a plan you can’t see yourself in that plan? How can you invest in this work if you don’t see yourself as a part of that work?”
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**Mayor Cherelle Parker’s Commitment**
Mayor Parker stated that the plan will continue to focus on the Prevention, Intervention, and Enforcement Program she has championed throughout her tenure. She praised the Philadelphia Police Department for effectively implementing the plan, including enhancing community policing efforts.
She also expressed gratitude to nonprofit and philanthropic groups for their ongoing support.
“What you just affirmed is that the government — we can’t do this alone,” Parker said after a group of nonprofit leaders spoke on behalf of the plan. “We can’t move without the support of our philanthropic community … We mean that, in every way imaginable.”
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**Community and Philanthropic Support**
Pedro A. Ramos, president and CEO of the Philadelphia Foundation, spoke on behalf of his peers at the event. He supported community engagement as critical to crafting the plan, given its importance for the city’s future.
“I’ve been in the office a lot — as some of you know, for the last three decades — and I don’t know that we’ve had a moment like this for community safety,” Ramos said. “We certainly haven’t had a moment like this, in terms of violence intervention and violence reduction, and that’s terrific. There’s success here and it needs to be heard from more than the mayor’s office. The rest of us have to carry that.”
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**Looking Ahead: Engagement and Involvement**
Commissioner Bethel reiterated that the strategic plan is still in development. Early input, however, has primarily concentrated on recruitment, retention, and wellness programs for officers.
He emphasized his desire to take a “bottom-up approach” to achieve as many objectives as possible.
“I’m hopeful that we get that same level [of engagement], from those who were ‘don’t like the blue,’ ‘like the blue,’ to get also engaged in ‘what about you?’ and how do you want to be involved in something,” Bethel said.
“Take your comments that you often layer on social media and layer them into this process to be a part of something. You can sit on the sidelines and complain and say that we don’t do these things, or you can be part of the solution and be engaged in the process and share your thoughts,” he added.
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