First order of business for the next mayor? Showing some backbone on crime.
Philadelphia's next leader needs to accept the fact that there are some people on the streets who know there are virtually no consequences for the mayhem they cause. That is unacceptable.
A few months ago, I wrote an op-ed about considering switching over to the Republican Party. I’ve decided not to switch parties, but I’m no Democratic zombie. I don’t, won’t, and will never vote for a candidate just because we’re members of the same party. Philadelphia has suffered because of the long-standing practice by too many people in our city to “vote blue no matter who.”
When I cast my ballot on Nov. 7, I hope that, like me, all Philadelphians will give fair consideration to both Republican David Oh and Democrat Cherelle Parker.
Although Parker got my vote in the primary, that doesn’t mean she’s necessarily going to get it again next month. I’m acquainted with and respect both former City Council members, but I need to see more about where they stand on one of the city’s biggest problems — crime.
Frankly, the next mayor needs to have a steel backbone, and I have yet to see firm evidence of that from either candidate. If I sound pessimistic, I am.
As of Thursday, 349 people have been killed so far this year; since the start of the Kenney administration in 2016, there have been more than 3,200 homicides in the city. Every family of every victim who has been shot to death is waiting for a leader who is actually going to do something that will make a real difference when it comes to stopping the killing.
To accomplish that, a Mayor Oh or a Mayor Parker needs to reassess the current strategies and ask some very hard questions, like why aren’t the gun laws on the books being enforced in Philadelphia?
Some Harrisburg lawmakers have already been asking that question, and announced in September that they would be introducing a bill that would mandate minimum prison sentencing for a person convicted of illegally possessing a gun.
“The impetus as part of this is, quite frankly, the rampant crime in Philadelphia,” State Rep. Frank Farry, a Republican from Bucks County, said at a September news conference.
The next mayor needs to accept the fact that there are some people out on the streets who know there are minimal or no consequences for the mayhem and chaos they cause. That is unacceptable.
The reasons for that sentiment are clear.
In 2018, the office of District Attorney Larry Krasner instructed his prosecutors to “charge and dispose of retail theft as summary offenses unless the value of the item(s) stolen exceeds $500 or where the defendant has a very long history of theft and retail theft convictions.” A step that effectively decriminalized shoplifting.
In 2022, Krasner said in the “100 Shooting Review Committee Report,” “We do not believe that arresting people and convicting them for illegal gun possession is a viable strategy to reduce shootings.”
Krasner’s 2018 directive sounds like a license to steal to me.
As for his thoughts about shootings, Krasner — in attempting to justify that statement — mentioned that some people arrested for illegal gun possession are law-abiding citizens who don’t have a concealed carry permit.
Well, newsflash: They’re not the ones to worry about.
As for those who do have criminal records, let me point out an analysis of Krasner’s policies by the Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund.
“Krasner is failing miserably at prosecuting felony offenses,” according to the report. “Compared to his predecessor’s average conviction rates, Krasner dropped or lost 26% more of all felony cases. More robbery cases (+14%) and auto theft cases (+37%) were dropped or lost. In drug sales (not possession) cases, Krasner dismisses or loses 55% of cases compared to the 34% rate of his predecessor.”
The defense fund’s analysis went on to add that in his first two years as district attorney, Krasner dropped or lost 47% of all illegal firearms cases — a rate 42% higher than the city’s last elected district attorney, Seth Williams, while winning convictions in 21% fewer cases.
“Studies have clearly shown that gun offenders are likely to go on to commit more and violent crime,” the report said.
Please, future Mayor Oh or future Mayor Parker: Demand some answers from the district attorney about the city’s crime problem.
Show voters that you’ve got a steel backbone and that you’re going to put saving human lives ahead of any political agendas.
Larry Miller is a former police reporter for the Philadelphia Tribune. He is a lifelong resident of Philadelphia.