Dwight Evans
I believe that we need four basic elements to make our communities safe. Just as a table becomes unstable if any of its legs is weak, our city is less stable and less safe unless all four elements are present. We need:
I believe that we need four basic elements to make our communities safe. Just as a table becomes unstable if any of its legs is weak, our city is less stable and less safe unless all four elements are present. We need:
(1) better law enforcement,
(2) an effective justice system,
(3) high-quality education and economic opportunities, and
(4) community partnerships and parental involvement.
As mayor, I will fight every day of my first year to ensure that all four legs of the table receive the full and complete support of the city.
From day one, I will begin to add 500 more police officers on the street. I will direct the police department to increase visibility by moving officers back to active patrol as well as creating "impact zones" to target high crime areas with additional resources. I will also attack gun crimes by tracing weapons recovered from juveniles, requiring criminals with gun records to register with police, and pursuing an exemption for Philadelphia to write its own gun laws.
As mayor, I will call a special session of City Council to discuss crime reduction as well as adopt a zero tolerance policy for assaults on our quality of life. I will also begin to work with our probation and parole system to provide support and better supervision to those reentering society from our prison system.
It is also critically important to ensure that people of every community have the access to high-quality economic opportunities and good-paying jobs that are ultimately one of the best solutions to violence. This will be primary focus of my administration starting from day one.
Finally, I will set a tone for community involvement and provide support to our parents so that they can better teach our children alternatives to the destructive paths far too many are choosing today.