Philadelphia Police Department

The Philadelphia Police Department is the main group of police officers that keeps the city of Philadelphia safe. It is one of the oldest police groups in the United States and has many officers working to protect the people there.

This police department has been working for a very long time. There have been sad times when some officers did not always treat people fairly. This was especially true during the time when Frank Rizzo was the leader of the police. These issues were written about in a report by the Philadelphia Inquirer newspaper that won a Pulitzer Prize.

History

19th century

In 1797, Philadelphia started a night watch and hired its first police officers to walk the streets in 1833. These groups joined together in 1854 to become the Philadelphia Police Department, inspired by the police in London.

In 1870, a police officer shot and killed an unarmed Black man named Henry Truman. The officer was later found guilty of a serious crime.

In 1887, the police department came under the control of the city’s Department of Public Safety. Two years later, the department started a special patrol on horseback. This horse patrol stopped in 2004 but started again in 2011.

20th century

In 1913, L. M. Gillespie became one of the first women police officers in Philadelphia. Big fights called race riots happened in 1919 and 1964.

In 1970, seven police officers were hurt during tense moments in the city.

In 1974, a report showed that some police officers were doing wrong things.

In 1985, a big fight happened when police tried to remove a group called MOVE from their home. Sadly, a fire started that hurt many people and destroyed houses.

21st century

In 2012, Philadelphia police made it harder to join by asking for more school or work experience.

In 2019, some police officers were taken off duty for saying very mean things online.

In 2021, a report showed that when people made complaints about police officers, very few of these complaints led to real changes.

Notable investigations

• In 1894-95, Detective Frank P. Geyer looked for a man named H. H. Holmes.
• In 1981, Police Officer Daniel Faulkner was killed while stopping a car. The man who did it was later found guilty and sent to prison.
• In 1999, a man named Gary Heidnik was put to death.
• In 2001, a man named Ira Samuel Einhorn was brought back to Philadelphia to stand trial for a murder from 1977. He was found guilty and sent to prison.
• In 2012, a man named Antonio Rodriguez was found guilty of killing three women and was sent to prison.
• In 2013, a man named Kaboni Savage and his sister were found guilty of killing many people. Savage was later sent to death row.

Organization

The Philadelphia Police Department has more than 6,400 police officers and 800 civilian workers. They work in an area of 369.4 km² (142.6 mi²) where almost 1.5 million people live. The department is split into 21 patrol areas and has special teams such as a K-9 Unit, SWAT, Bomb Squad, Community Relations Unit, Marine Unit, Narcotics Unit, and Highway Patrol Unit.

The leader of the department is the Police Commissioner, who is chosen by the Mayor. The current Commissioner is Kevin Bethel. Under the Commissioner are two Deputy Commissioners. One manages field operations, and the other handles organizational services, strategy, and innovation.

The Office of Field Operations is led by the First Deputy Commissioner of Field Operations. Currently, this role is held by John Stanford. It includes two main parts: Patrol Operations and Specialized Operations and Homeland Security, each managed by a Deputy Commissioner. The Investigations Command is also led by a Deputy Commissioner and includes Detective Divisions and Special Investigation Units.

The Office of Organizational Services, Strategy, and Innovation is led by the Deputy Commissioner and Chief Administrative Officer.

Patrol Operations is managed by a Deputy Commissioner and is split into two regional commands: Regional Operations Command (North) and Regional Operations Command (South). Each regional command is led by a Chief Inspector and divided into three divisions. Each division is managed by an Inspector and includes three or four districts, totaling 21 districts. Each district is led by a captain and divided into police service areas, each managed by a Lieutenant, totaling 64 areas citywide.

In January 2013, Commissioner Ramsey changed the department's command structure, reducing the number of deputy commissioners from 9 to 6.

Mounted units

The mounted unit started with the Fairmount Park Mounted Guard in 1867. In 1889, the Philadelphia Police Mounted Patrol Unit was created. The unit continued until 1952, while the Fairmount Park unit helped with parades and crowd control. In 1966, the Fairmount Park Police was formed but merged into the Philadelphia Police in 1972 by Mayor Frank Rizzo, creating the Park Division. The mounted unit was used again for street patrols. It celebrated 100 years in 1989 but was disbanded in 2004 due to budget cuts by Mayor John F. Street.

On July 18, 2008, Commissioner Charles H. Ramsey announced plans to bring back the mounted unit. The Philadelphia Inquirer reported on June 2, 2009, that Ramsey hoped to revive it when the city's finances improved. On October 31, 2011, the city announced plans to build a new facility for the unit in Fairmount Park.

Ranks within the Philadelphia Police Department

See also: Police ranks of the United States

Rank descriptions

In the Philadelphia Police Department, officers can move up in rank after their first year. When tests for Corporal or Detective open up, they can take written multiple-choice exams that last two to three hours. Their scores also depend on how long they have been with the department.

Corporals and Detectives earn the same pay but have different jobs. Corporals are the first supervisors. They mostly work in offices, making sure reports are done correctly and on time. Only sometimes do they work on the streets, like in special units. To become a Corporal, an officer needs at least one year of experience.

Sergeants lead groups of officers. They decide where officers work, help manage radio rooms, and, in the Detective Bureau, interview people and assign cases. Sergeants need at least two years as an officer or one year as a Corporal or Detective.

Lieutenants manage areas in police districts or special units. In the Detective Bureau, they oversee investigations. Lieutenants need at least one year as a Sergeant.

Captains are the first leaders who can command whole districts or special units. In the Detective Bureau, they plan operations, prepare cases, and testify in court. Captains need at least one year as a Lieutenant.

Staff inspectors help manage the department, checking on units and suggesting improvements. They need at least one year as a Captain.

Inspectors lead big divisions and help during major events. They need at least one year as a Staff Inspector or Captain.

Chief Inspectors are top managers who lead bureaus or regions and check on department practices. They need at least one year as a Staff Inspector.

Deputy Commissioners and above are chosen by city leaders, not through civil service tests. The commissioner, chosen by city leaders, leads the whole department.

Detectives

Detectives work in the Detective Bureau, in divisions or special units. They report to a Captain, who reports to the Inspector of the Detective Bureau. Detectives follow orders from Sergeants but are not supervisors. Some Police Officers also work in investigations.

Philadelphia’s Detective Bureau does not have ranks like Detective Sergeant or Detective Lieutenant. Supervisors in the Detective Bureau can move back to patrol and must wear a uniform.

Unlike some other big city police departments, Philadelphia Detectives do not wear uniforms except for business clothes. To become a Detective, officers must pass a civil service exam, and all Detectives have the same rank.

Demographics

The Philadelphia Police Department has officers from many different backgrounds. Many officers have been Irish Americans since the 1850s.

Here are some facts about the officers:

• Male: 70%
• Female: 30%
• White: 57%
• African-American/Black: 33%
• Hispanic: 8%
• Other: 1.5%

Awards and honors

Decorations

See: United States law enforcement decorations#Philadelphia Police Department

The Philadelphia Police Department gives out special awards to honor its officers. Some of these awards are:

• Sgt. Robert F. Wilson III Commendation for Valor
• Commendation for Bravery
• Commendation for Heroism
• Commendation for Merit
• Commendatory Citation
• RNC Service Ribbon
• Military Service Ribbon
• Covid Ribbon

George Fencl Award

See also: George Fencl Award

The George Fencl Award is given each year to a Philadelphia Police Officer who shows kindness, fairness, and dedication to the community. This award started in 1986 and is named after a respected police inspector.

Officers who died on duty

Many officers from the Philadelphia Police Department have sadly passed away while working. In 1996, Lauretha Vaird became the first woman officer to be killed while on duty.