PHILADELPHIA – To better understand the challenges and dangers faced by law enforcement in Philadelphia, Sen. Joe Picozzi (R-5) invited the Pennsylvania Senate Majority Policy Committee to join the Philadelphia Police Department in Kensington on Wednesday.
During the four-hour session, the state senators reviewed the situation confronting officers who patrol the area every day, including new initiatives by the Mayor and City Council which are beginning to make improvements, after years of decline in the community.
The state senators then toured Riverview Wellness Village, a nearby recovery-based housing center created by Mayor Cherelle Parker. Riverview provides housing and special services to help those suffering from drug use build sustainable habits for long-term recovery. They are now in the process of adding more beds and workforce development initiatives.
“Public safety is my number one priority, and we are appreciative to our city law enforcement who provided firsthand witness to the challenges they face,” said Picozzi. “It was important for me to share those realities with my colleagues as we explore ways to help keep everyone safer.”
“The brave officers we met with yesterday deserve more than just our thanks – they need more support,” said Sen. Dave Argall (R-29), who chairs the committee. “Sen. Picozzi stressed to us throughout this visit that the Philadelphia Police and Mayor Parker have made strides towards reducing crime within the city, but they need more help. The persistent deterioration of neighborhoods that we witnessed is completely unacceptable.”
Also joining the session were Sen. Kristin Phillips-Hill (R-28), the Senate Majority’s Caucus Chair, Sen. Cris Dush (R-25), and senior staff members from Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman’s (R-41) and Senate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward’s (R-39) offices. At Picozzi’s request, the Majority Policy Committee will return to his Northeast Philadelphia district for additional sessions on fighting blight and supporting local community and economic development initiatives.
The Pennsylvania Senate recently voted to increase public safety by approving bipartisan legislation creating a new criminal offense for interfering with the operation of a public transit vehicle. Senate Bill 210 was introduced by Picozzi, Sen. Frank Farry (R-6), Sen. Tracy Pennycuick (R-24), and Sen. Christine Tartaglione (D-2) in memory of Bernard Gribbin, an Army veteran and SEPTA bus operator who was tragically killed while driving his bus in 2023.
Other recent action to increase public safety includes Act 42 of 2023, a law written by Argall to better hold perpetrators of organized retail theft accountable. The bill strengthened penalties on looters and thieves and empowered the Pennsylvania Attorney General to pursue criminal organizations that steal and resell retail goods. In October, the Office of Attorney General’s Organized Retail Crime Unit busted a Philadelphia-area crime ring that stole more than $850,000 from retail stores.
CONTACT: Sonny Mazzone (Picozzi)
Jim Brugger (Argall)