Danielle Outlaw struggled to settle into her role. Philly’s next police commissioner must be ready to lead. | Editorial

Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw surprised many Philadelphians by announcing her departure last week. Many others wondered what took her so long. After all, Outlaw, the first Black woman to run the department, never truly seemed to settle in and presided over a sharp rise in shootings and homicides, even as the city police budget soared.

Her low-profile tenure was marked by a series of controversies and marred by events that she had little control over, including the racial reckoning after the police murder of George Floyd and the COVID-19 pandemic and a correlated rise in crime that swept the country.

While the number of homicides has been declining this year, it became increasingly clear that no matter Outlaw’s positive qualities as a person, police officer, and administrator, in a city and an institution that still struggles with xenophobia, sexism, and racism, she could not provide the leadership that Philadelphia needed.

The city can be a brutal place for outsiders. Portland, Ore., Outlaw’s most recent post before coming to Philadelphia, is a city of transplants. Per census data, only 40% of that city’s population was born in state. In the City of Brotherly Love, nearly two-thirds of the population is from Pennsylvania. The Police Department and political establishment here is, if anything, more parochial than the already insular city it serves.

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Outlaw deregulated nail polish for officers during her first week on the job in February 2020 — this seemingly minor procedural act became a lasting source of discontent among some officers. While Outlaw presented the move as a way to ensure that women feel welcomed on the force, this message flew over the heads of her critics. The fact that she was taking over the department in the wake of a sexual harassment scandal involving her predecessor went beneath their notice.

Three months later, perhaps as an effort to showcase her toughness to these same critics, Outlaw then presided over the use of tear gas on demonstrators after Floyd’s murder. While Outlaw initially defended the action, she and Mayor Jim Kenney later apologized after video footage contradicted their initial accounting of events. The abusive tactics cost taxpayers $10 million after the city settled a class-action lawsuit brought by civil rights groups.

Numerous other scandals followed, including a police officer convicted of manslaughter, another officer charged with sexually abusing and assaulting girls, another officer convicted of sexually assaulting witnesses, still another officer convicted of possessing child pornography, and a number of wrongful convictions that were thrown out as well as the suspension of several cops accused of misspending antiviolence funds.

Last month, after Officer Mark Dial shot and killed Eddie Irizarry, the department released a statement alleging that Irizarry had lunged at officers with a knife. Video footage would later contradict this narrative, leading to another apology from the commissioner. Outlaw moved to fire the officer but seemed nonplussed by the false narrative put forward by the department.

Outlaw also dealt with something that’s become an issue for institutional leaders across the city: a disengaged mayor. This was especially difficult for someone with her own outsider status. City leaders who managed to respond effectively to the pandemic-era struggles often could rely on a local network of supporters. Outlaw could not.

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Outlaw’s struggles have led some observers, including the Fraternal Order of Police, to call for hiring a commissioner from within the department. But the two strongest commissioners the city has had in the last quarter century came from outside the city.

Charles Ramsey, who led the police department under Michael Nutter, grew up in Chicago and served as top cop in Washington, D.C., before coming to Philadelphia. Ramsey’s tenure saw a significant decrease in homicide and violent crime in the city. He also held officers accountable for misconduct and sought to change the culture of the department.

Former Mayor Ed Rendell recruited John Timoney from the New York City Police Department in 1998. Timoney was a confident and colorful leader who implemented the use of crime mapping strategies and held precinct captains accountable for lowering crime. Timoney implemented other reforms but was frustrated by the stiff resistance from a police union that often fights change and accountability and all too often defends dirty cops.

Outlaw’s departure clears the way for Cherelle Parker, the likely next mayor, to choose her own top cop. Parker’s choice will shape and influence her administration as the police commissioner may be her most important hire. During the Democratic primary campaign, Parker supported the controversial use of stop-and-frisk. That will be a delicate dance for the next commissioner.

Parker would be wise to consult with Ramsey, other respected law enforcement officials, and past mayors about the hiring of a police commissioner. She should also consult with the FOP and do the opposite of whatever they recommend.

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While police officers have a difficult job, the problems within a department that has a long history of abuse and corruption run deep and are systemic. Former City Controller Rebecca Rhynhart highlighted some of the issues in an audit last year citing staffing shortages, slow response times, and outdated practices that need changing.

The next commissioner must have a plan to make those changes and reduce crime. It should be someone who is battle-tested, but also understands that modern policing is not just about locking up bad guys.

The challenge of leading and inspiring a police force with a nearly $1 billion budget, while also reforming a department that is slow to change, will come with the job. But the next commissioner must also have the skills to manage the internal and external city politics and work with other law enforcement and government leaders.

It is a difficult job that requires toughness and tact.

Whether the next police chief comes from inside the force or outside the city, they must learn from Outlaw’s challenges — and her mistakes.