Police Dept. announces schedule for community meetings

The Philadelphia Police Department today announced a series of community meetings this month with divisional commanders and said that Commissioner Charles H. Ramsey would hold an additional round of town hall meetings in July.

The public meetings, similar to the sessions the commissioner conducted in January after taking command of the department, are designed to allow the public to communicate "problems, concerns and advice to help the police department make their neighborhoods safer," said Lt. Frank Vanore, police spokesman.

The schedule:

South Division: 6 p.m. Thursday, June 19, at Vare Recreation Center, 2600 Morris St. This meeting should be attended by residents of the 1st, 3rd, 4th and 17th Districts.

Southwest Division: 6 p.m. Thursday, June 19, Southwest Seventh Day Adventist Church, 1200 S. 58th St. This meeting should be attended by residents of the 12th, 16th, 18th and 19th Districts.

Northwest Division: 7 p.m. Thursday, June 26, Arthur Ashe Tennis Center, 4842 Ridge Ave. This meeting should be attended by residents of the 5th, 14th, 35th and 39th Districts.

Northeast Division: 6 p.m. Thursday, June 26, Fitzpatrick School, 11061 Knights Rd. This meeting should be attended by residents of the 2nd, 7th, 8th and 15th Districts.

Central Division: 6 p.m. Thursday, June 26, The Philadelphian, 2401 Pennsylvania Ave. This meeting should be attended by residents of the 6th, 9th, 22nd and 23rd Districts.

Vanore said the East Division meeting was held last week, but he said Ramsey personally would hold town hall meetings from July 8 to July 24 at locations and times to be announced.