Kevin Bethel to be Named Philadelphia's Next Police Commissioner

Former school safety chief known for reforming school police force faces challenge of low morale and officer shortage in new role

Kevin Bethel, the current chief of school safety for the School District of Philadelphia, is expected to be announced as Philadelphia's next police commissioner.
Bethel has spent the last four years as the Philadelphia School District’s safety chief, steering the system away from arrests and insisting on trauma-informed practices, restorative justice and training in adolescent development for his officers.
Bethel's pre-arrest diversion program he created, which slashed district student arrest rates by 84% in six years, earned him national attention.
During his tenure, Bethel reshaped and rebranded the school police force to 'school safety officers,' with an emphasis on mentoring and supporting students.
Bethel will be inheriting a department that has been gripped by low morale and a shortage of nearly 1,000 officers.