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Drug deaths and overdoses plague Philly jails, raising concerns about plans to step up Kensington arrests

Since 2018, 25 people have died drug-related deaths in Philly jails, where drugs are widely accessible. As the city plans to arrest more drug users in Kensington, that has compounded safety concerns.

Philadelphia police patrol on Somerset Avenue near Kensington Avenue in June, amid a push to deploy newly trained officers in Kensington to clear out the open-air drug market.
Philadelphia police patrol on Somerset Avenue near Kensington Avenue in June, amid a push to deploy newly trained officers in Kensington to clear out the open-air drug market.Read moreAlejandro A. Alvarez / Staff Photographer