NUTTER SEEKS TO TARGET HIGH CRIME AREAS FOR

PUBLIC SAFETY STATE OF EMERGENCY

Philadelphia, October 12, 2006 – Today, former City Councilman and Mayoral candidate Michael Nutter called on City officials to declare a public safety state of emergency in the Philadelphia neighborhoods that have endured the most violence. 

“The level of violence in our City has reached epidemic proportions,” said Nutter.  “A public safety state of emergency is the best option we have to make an immediate impact on the rate of shootings and homicides in Philadelphia.”  Nutter cited the alarming rate of homicides in the city, which had reached 313 as of October 10, 2006- 85% of this year’s murders were committed with a handgun; 81% of victims were African American; 50% of victims were 25 years or younger. 

Section 10-819 of the City Code allows the government to declare a state of emergency when any part of the City is “in imminent danger of suffering civil disturbance, disorder, riot or other occurrence” that may harm residents.  “The people of Philadelphia need to know that we are taking action to make the City safe,” said Nutter.  Under Nutter’s proposal, the City would establish emergency safety zones in certain neighborhoods experiencing extremely high crime rates.  Once those rates have leveled off, the emergency provisions would be removed. 

Nutter suggests that an internal task force of local, state and federal law enforcement and social service agencies coordinate the logistics of the effort, starting immediately.  “There is no doubt in my mind that within a week to ten days this City could have a targeted plan of action fully coordinated by these agencies,” stated Nutter.

The plan, with additional powers in the Philadelphia Code, could include the following options:

• Block off the streets and restrict vehicle access to create safety zones for the targeted communities
• Establish new curfews and limit public travel in the safety zones
• Coordinated arrest of all probation/parole violators by city, state and federal agents
• Installation of surveillance cameras in the targeted areas immediately
• Close certain businesses earlier than usual
• Aggressive confiscation of all weapons on the streets in target areas
• Significantly increase police presence and activity in the safety zones

 “Our residents are tired of meetings.  It’s time to enact a real plan that we know will save lives immediately.  Residents in certain sections of this City are experiencing daily killings.  They need immediate relief, not next month, not next year, not ten years from now, but right now,” Nutter emphatically stated.

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PO Box 58550 • Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19102

Phone: (215) 545-9700 • Facsimile: (215) 545-4088

www.NutterForMayor.com

Paid for by Nutter for Mayor, Kahiga A. Tiagha, Esq., Treasurer

Last Updated: October 30, 2006