Local News

Ramsey Unveils Crime-Fighting Strategy

PHILADELPHIA (CBS 3) ― Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey unveiled his crime-fighting strategy to sworn and civilian Philadelphia Police personnel at the Wachovia Center Wednesday morning.

Ramsey said his Crime Control Strategies Plan, compiled in response to Mayor Michael Nutter's declaration of a "crime emergency," is a return to the "basics of policing."

"It is very fundamental, very basic. This isn't Batman or Robin coming out of a cave somewhere and suddenly, miraculously cure all of our problems,"said  Ramsey.

The commissioner said his goal is to have 200 additional patrol officers on the street by May 1, with a concentration in the crime-infested neighborhoods and establishing Targeted Enforcement Zones within those nine most violent districts.

Some other highlights of Ramsey's strategy include reducing the homicide rate by 20-percent and more than 30-50-percent over the next three to five years.

Ramsey's plan includes, decreasing the number of shooting victims and violent crimes by 20-percent, increase the number of guns removed from the streets by five-percent and increase the homicide clearance rate by 65-percent.

The commissioner stated the need to significantly reduce the backlog of 6,000 pieces of ballistic evidence waiting testing and detailed his plan to reorganize the command structure by the end of March.

Ramsey stated the need for community involvement and an increase in security cameras.

To succeed in these areas he plans to work with existing town watches and encourage neighborhoods to create their own. By spring 2008, Ramsey said the Police Department will hold a city-wide informational conference for neighbors and town watch organizations.

Expansion of the existing surveillance camera program will be significantly increased from 26 to 250 cameras by December 31, 2008.

Ramsey said, "This plan provides the framework to achieve the first priority Mayor Michael A. Nutter put forth in his inaugural address. It seeks to unite the resources of the whole community to calm the violence, restore order, and begin to build a tangible future for people who today don't see one. Working together, we can achieve this goal."

CBS3.com Editor's Picks:

READ: CBS News- McCain Wins Florida Primary
READ: Temple Caught Up In Puppy Problem
WATCH: Near Miss On Chicago Train Tracks
WATCH: Number 22,000 Pencil?
SEE: Behold, The Mighty Boy Band

(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)