Philadelphia Police Officers To Hear Message From Mayor Before Hitting The Streets
By Walt Hunter
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- CBS 3 has learned all Philadelphia Police Officers will hear a message from Mayor Michael Nutter before hitting the streets.
The video running approximately eight and one half minutes is being played at every district, citywide, for the next three days, with the Mayor reflecting on recent events in Ferguson and New York City, telling officers what he expects from them.
In the video, the Mayor reassures officers that he know how difficult and dangerous their jobs are. He also commends them for their success in dropping city crime rates and professionally handling recent protests peacefully.
Stating that people are not, in his words,"against policing, but against bad policing," the Mayor cautions officers to avoid excessive force and attempt to deescalate potentially violent situations they face.
"The door of respect,"Nutter states,"swings both ways."
Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey tells CBS 3 that the video is the Mayor's idea, and when he met with the Commissioner to propose it, Ramsey gave the video his full support.
"It's a message,"Ramsey told CBS 3's Walt Hunter,"that officers need to hear at this time in history."
Mayor Nutter declined to comment on the video, a spokesperson explaining the Mayor's words in the video fully express his thoughts.
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