Kevin Bethel Appointed as New Philadelphia Police Commissioner
Bethel, a Philadelphia native with three decades of experience in the city's police force, faces significant challenges including high rates of shootings and homicides, a morale problem, and a staffing crisis.
- Kevin Bethel, a Philadelphia native with three decades of experience in the city's police force, has been appointed as the new Police Commissioner by Mayor-elect Cherelle Parker.
- Bethel is stepping into a role in which he'll be expected to address record-breaking rates of shootings and homicides that left more than 1,000 people dead over two years.
- Bethel also inherits a department with a well-documented morale problem, a staffing crisis that's left the force short nearly 1,000 officers, and an at-times fractious relationship with the district attorney and the courts.
- Bethel has emphasized the importance of building relationships with the communities the department serves to both prevent crime and enforce the law.
- Bethel's appointment has been met with praise across the political spectrum and those in policing.
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