UPDATE FROM 9TH POLICE DISTRICT
NEW INITIATIVE: BICYCLE TASK FORCE: Captain Hooven working with Inspector Evers has initiated a bicycle taskforce to patrol an area including Center City West - the community between Broad Street and Rittenhouse Square from Arch to Locust. The patrols have been dispatched between 5:30 pm and 6:30 and the officers have been directed to focus on various buildings including the WAWA on 16th and the Rite Aid at 17th as well as 18th Street between Chestnut and Walnut. Suggestions for other areas of focus for these patrols should be emailed to centercitycoalition@gmail.com
THE HOMELESS SERVICE DETAIL: A service detail of ten officers from the 9th (west of Broad) and the 6th (East of Broad) is assigned to 3 shifts over a 24 hour period to deal with street people. Last week the detail counted 250 homeless sleeping in the area from Aviation Park at the Franklin Institute east to the Basilica, then south to Rittenhouse Sq. and east to 13th . The goal is to shepherd these individuals to City Services. The Detail officers know a substantial percentage of these people, perhaps 2/3, as to whether they are veterans, involved in retail theft etc.
COORDINATION WITH SOCIAL SERVICES: Communications between police and social services are on the upswing. Capt. Hooven of the 9th District and Liz Hersh of Office of Homeless Services are in touch almost daily.
DRUG ACTIVITY is down a bit due in part to the cold weather which diminishes street transactions but also to the bike patrols and an initiative launched as a result of intelligence gathered through the investigation of the November murder at the 15th and Market Close Pin. The District is looking into the phone booth at 15th and Locust which is involved in the drug marketing and is looking.
SPRINGTIME GOALS: The 9th District is aware that the May riots and the loss of street traffic incident to the pandemic has affected the public’s perception of Center City. Consequently, the goal is to ramp up initiatives to deal with street issues by the time that Spring arrives.