Many Philadelphians liked Danielle Outlaw as a person, but as a commissioner, ‘the job didn’t seem to be getting done’

As news spread across the city on Tuesday morning that Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw was resigning, West Philly resident Ahmed Moor thought back to the beginning of her tenure.

Outlaw took over as Philly’s lead cop in February 2020, and immediately went to work on the city’s response to the COVID-19 outbreak. Then a few months later, protests erupted after George Floyd was murdered in Minneapolis. To Moor, Outlaw’s response to those calls for racial justice was a failure, making it difficult for her to build meaningful relationships with many community members.

“Deploying riot police when protesters were on 676 ... that seemed like an inappropriate response to a legitimate protest that was bringing emotional but deeply felt issues to the fore in a city which is mostly Black,” said Moor.

“It just seemed out of touch with the realities of the moment at the time. And I think it deeply damaged trust in her ability to do her job.”

Community members rarely had negative things to say about Outlaw as an individual and thought her intentions were always well-placed. Ruth Birchett, a longtime North Philly resident and member of her local police district community advisory council, believed that Outlaw was open and welcoming to people like her.

“She exuded a sense that she could be depended on to be a professional and to be transparent, and that she came with listening ears. That’s the biggest thing I got from her, that she came with listening ears, that she wanted to hear,” she said.

Birchett once saw Outlaw at the supermarket and approached her with concerns about her local police district. She was struck by Outlaw’s willingness to discuss those concerns, especially since Outlaw was off-duty at the time.

“I pray that she will continue to make impact, positive impact in communities and be a voice,” she said.

“I think it’s the opportunity for the city to start to turn the corner. I just want to be sure that we turn it carefully.”

Mazzie Casher, cofounder of the antigun violence nonprofit, Philly Truce, also had positive impressions of Outlaw from the couple of times they met, appreciating that she respected the value of solutions coming from communities themselves.

But even with that perspective, he felt like Outlaw had not made the community connections necessary for successful policing.

“Delightful person and all of that, it’s just the job didn’t seem to be getting done. It didn’t feel like it was getting done,” he said. “I think everyone felt that like, where is she? What is she doing? What is she going to do? And why is it that she appears powerless or feels powerless?”

Casher is looking forward to having new police leadership, and would like for the next commissioner to come from within the city’s ranks.

But he is also cautious, hoping that the incoming mayor and new commissioner don’t look at Outlaw and the city’s record as a sign to go toward the extremes.

“I think it’s the opportunity for the city to start to turn the corner. I just want to be sure that we turn it carefully,” he said. “We don’t want to go back to Rizzo-style policing either,” he explained, while also wishing for more policing of low-level crimes, like ATV riding and reckless car drivers.

“This is an opportunity for the next mayor to show they will invest in the community supports [that] our neighborhoods need.”

“This is an opportunity for the next mayor to show they will invest in the community supports [that] our neighborhoods need,” said Tamika Diggs from University City. She is the mother of three Black sons, and hopes that Outlaw’s successor is more considerate of their needs and well-being.

“The next commissioner needs to listen to longtime residents like me and wind down surveillance and wind up accountability,” she said.

Ultimately, community members recognize that issues they have with the city’s police department are not isolated to the commissioner. They would like to see systemic changes that make the city feel safer while also respecting their humanity.

“The problems with police in Philadelphia are bigger than any individual,” Moor said. “We need all of our leaders to step up and demand the best of our public servants, police included.”