We just caught up with Managing Director Camille Barnett and asked her about the report in today's Inquirer that
» READ MORE: she is driven to and from work in a marked police car
due to a months-old security threat.
Barnett declined to talk about the incident, which occurred shortly after she moved to Philadelphia early this year. The Inquirer reported that a man yelled obscenities and followed her as she walked her dog. Barnett confirmed that since the spring she has been getting a police escort to and from her Center City rowhome. Barnett is usually driven by on-duty traffic cops.
"We wanted to make it the least expense possible," Barnett said. "We use a number of people who are on duty."
Barnett said she understood that previous managing directors had a full time car and driver. But she does not. Barnett said the city car assigned to her has been made a pool car for her office.
Asked if, given the budget constraints, she has any plans to end the escort practice, Barnett said: "I learned a long time ago to leave security to the police."
UPDATE: We just spoke with Phil Goldsmith, who served as Managing Director for two years under Mayor Street. Goldsmith said that while he had a city car, he never had a full time driver.