Police accountability is key to making Philly safer | Editorial

District Attorney Larry Krasner’s progressive policies have been blamed for the spike in gun crimes, murders, retail thefts, and lootings across Philadelphia. He has clashed with police and with Republicans in Harrisburg who tried to impeach him, and is a regular whipping boy for right-wing media, including Fox News.

Krasner has his faults, but he deserves praise for his relentless pursuit of justice for those wrongly convicted of crimes. Since he took office in 2018, nearly 40 people have been exonerated, thanks to the Conviction Integrity Unit he created.

Nearly all the wrongly accused were Black men. Some spent decades in prison. One wrongly convicted man spent 41 years behind bars. Another was on death row for 25 years before being exonerated in two separate cases.

In nearly all the cases, the wrongful convictions were the result of misconduct by either the police or prosecutors (or both) who withheld evidence, forced false confessions, or committed perjury.

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It’s a reprehensible record of abuse by law enforcement. Until the city moves beyond this shameful legacy, it will be difficult, if not impossible, to effectively fight crime and ensure justice for all. That’s because persistent misconduct breeds a culture of community distrust and undermines the work of honest cops and prosecutors.

The shocking frequency in the number of wrongful convictions was laid bare during a court hearing this month for David Sparks, who was convicted of murder at age 16 and spent 15 years in prison. While overturning Sparks’ conviction, Common Pleas Court Judge Scott DiClaudio said it was the sixth murder conviction he had dismissed in three days.

“That’s gotta be a world record,” Judge DiClaudio said.

It’s certainly a disgrace for Philadelphia law enforcement.

Sparks was wrongly convicted with faulty eyewitness testimony from two young girls. A third witness said they were pressured to sign a statement they did not write.

Police also failed to turn over evidence that would have helped prove Sparks’ innocence. Even more outrageous, Sparks called 911 to report the shooting.

Three of the convictions tossed by Judge DiClaudio stemmed from the outrageous misconduct of former homicide detective Philip Nordo, who left a trail of abuse that so far has resulted in 15 convictions getting reversed. Nordo, in turn, was convicted of sexually abusing witnesses and informants while on the job.

How Nordo’s corrupt actions went undetected for so long remains a mystery. But he was not the only rotten apple in the bunch. Settlements from police misconduct have been on the rise in Philadelphia.

More than 900 claims were filed against the city between 2016 and 2022. Most of the cases involved the use of excessive force, false arrests, illegal searches, and malicious prosecutions.

The misconduct has cost taxpayers tens of millions of dollars a year. Since the 2016 fiscal year, the city paid $116 million to settle police misconduct cases, according to an analysis by Axios. The dirty work of six narcotics officers sparked 176 lawsuits and $6.5 million in payouts since 2010, a separate analysis by the Washington Post found.

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While the city was busy writing settlement checks, the police budget ballooned. Under Mayor Jim Kenney, the Police Department has received tens of millions of dollars in additional taxpayer funding, yet crime and murders continue to increase.

As the scandals came to light, John McNesby, the recently departed head of the police union, would often stand by the officers. The longtime union boss’ obstinance was a constant impediment to needed reform in an inefficient police department that now spends nearly $1 billion a year fighting crime.

Thankfully, McNesby is gone. Hopefully, his replacement, Roosevelt Poplar, will understand there is no honor in supporting dishonorable cops. The arrival of Mayor-elect Cherelle Parker, along with a new police commissioner and a new union boss, presents a chance for change. Can they, along with Krasner, forge a relationship that supports the good cops, weeds out corruption, and reduces crime?

Parker has made fighting crime a top priority, including the use of what she calls “constitutional stop-and-frisk.” But any change in police tactics requires a change in culture and accountability. Only then can the Philadelphia Police Department meet its mission of honor, service, and integrity.