An absentee Philadelphia police captain was abruptly reassigned following an Inquirer report
Philadelphia police Capt. Nashid Akil, who gained a reputation as an absentee boss in the 22nd District, has been reassigned. Akil has said he is optimistic he could soon be promoted to inspector.
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The Philadelphia Police Department reassigned the captain of one of the city’s busiest and most violent districts on Friday, hours after The Inquirer published an investigation revealing that he was often absent and that the district was in disarray.
Capt. Nashid Akil, who the department acknowledged is the subject of “at least one internal investigation,” was abruptly relieved of command of North Philadelphia’s 22nd District, the department said Friday.
Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw has tapped Capt. Michael Goodson, who had been detailed to the department’s court liaison office, to lead the 22nd District and its roughly 300 police and civilian personnel. Akil was reassigned to the radio room, which handles police dispatch, two sources with direct knowledge of the situation confirmed. The change is to become effective Monday.
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“Due to ongoing internal investigations, as well as new information brought to light in The Inquirer’s recent article, the PPD Executive Team has decided that it would be in the best interests of the community and the department to bring fresh leadership to the 22nd District,” department spokesperson Sgt. Eric Gripp said Friday in a statement.
Akil did not immediately return a call on Friday afternoon.
The shake-up comes after civic leaders in the district, which stretches from Sharswood through Strawberry Mansion, had lamented a breakdown in police-community relations. Officers there had described a chaotic and even violent workplace. Basic functions, such as holding mandatory Police Service Area meetings, had been abandoned for years, The Inquirer’s investigation found.
Akil disputed claims that he was absent from work. He said he’s committed to the job, and in line for a promotion to Inspector. In response to Inquirer reporters’ findings that his city-issued car often remained at home during scheduled work hours while his designated district parking spot sat empty, he said that he sometimes drives his personal car to work and parks on the street.