|
REPRINTED FROM THENEXTMAYOR.COMJanuary 16, 2007 press release, (submitted via e-mail) |
New Leadership. New Direction. A New Philadelphia.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 16, 2007
CONTACT: Melanie Johnson
(215) 545-9700
(267) 984-2027 cell
melsjohns@aol.com
Philadelphia, January 16, 2007-- Standing on the steps of his childhood home in West Philadelphia, Mayoral Candidate Michael Nutter today announced his bold “Safety Now” plan for ending gun violence. “Our city government has failed the people by a lack of leadership and a lack of action,” said Nutter. “As Mayor of this Great City, I will provide leadership by taking immediate action to stop the violence.”
Nutter decided to speak at his childhood home on Larchwood Avenue because the 21-year old son of a police officer was killed last week just three blocks from where he grew up. “When I learned about the death of this young man, it was as if someone in my family had been murdered,” said Nutter. “I grew up around here. I used to play in the same park near where he was killed. We have to stop the violence that is taking over our city.”
Nutter’s plan focuses on five major areas to provide “Safety Now” to our city:
Declare a limited crime emergency in targeted enforcement zones, as authorized by the City Code.
Saturate targeted enforcement zones with proven tactics, such as aggressively enforcing arrest warrants against fugitives, installing cameras, and using constitutional stop and frisk tactics
Direct crime-fighting resources against repeat offenders, fugitives, and probation/parole violators
Increase the size of our police force
Improve the economy and create job opportunities so that people can build better economic futures
“Safety Now” is not just a slogan,” said Nutter. “It’s a commitment. We need to act quickly and move to provide safety in the first ten weeks of the year, not ten months or ten years. This is a crisis that calls for immediate action.”
Nutter’s passion for the safety of the city is apparent in the work that he accomplished during his 15 years as a City Councilman. Nutter successfully lobbied for an increase in the City budget to provide for an additional 100 police officers during the City budget hearings in the spring of 2006. A new class of recruits began their training in August of last year and are scheduled to graduate in a few months.
Nutter was the driving force behind the Police Advisory Commission, an independent citizen review board, established in 1993. He also secured $250,000 in City funds to support a violence reduction program in conjunction with the Philadelphia Court System and the University of Pennsylvania.
“I stand on the steps of my childhood home where my parents gave me hope for the future,” said Nutter. “I want to give that hope to you. Hope that there will be no more teddy bear memorials, hope that we will stop the war on our streets and educate our youth for a brighter tomorrow. Hope that we will build a city of better futures and end the culture of fear and death. Philadelphia deserves better leadership and I have the experience and integrity to lead.”
Nutter’s “Safety Now” plan also outlines the need to create jobs and revitalize the City’s economy. In the next few weeks Nutter will unveil his more detailed economic development plan.
###
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