Drones, "wellness court": What's ahead in Parker's Kensington crackdown
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Mayor Cherelle Parker is preparing for Year 2 of her Kensington crackdown, which includes drones and expanded resources for people struggling with addiction.
The big picture: Parker has made ending open-air drug markets and reviving the neighborhood cornerstones of her agenda since taking office last year.
State of play: In 2024, Kensington saw steep declines in homicides as police staffing levels swelled. The city also cleared two homeless encampments (along with another in Port Richmond).
Yes, but: Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel cautioned at a Monday news conference that more must be done for the neighborhood.
- "We do not present to you that we won. … We are in here for the long haul," he said.
What's ahead: Some of the administration's plans to improve public safety this year include:
- Using a drone pilot program in Kensington and other sites.
- Expanding the city's new "neighborhood wellness court."
- Running the Kensington Wellness Support Center 24-7. The center offers medical screenings, drug withdrawal management and other services.
Zoom in: The drones will respond to 911 calls and assist officers with situational awareness, deputy commissioner Pedro Rosario, who's leading the department's Kensington initiative, said at the news conference.
- There is no official ETA on when the program will go online, he tells Axios.
Meanwhile, the Parker administration plans to expand its "neighborhood wellness court," where people with addiction who are arrested for low-level summary offenses, like disorderly conduct, are given the option of seeking treatment instead of facing criminal penalties.
- The wellness court, which launched last month, currently operates one day a week.
Plus: The administration launched a new online dashboard that tracks progress in Kensington.
Between the lines: Since taking office in January 2024, Parker has rolled out new public safety and quality-of-life initiatives, like a crime-scene cleanup program and a new drug recovery and health center.
- However, some in Kensington have complained that law enforcement crackdowns in one area have pushed the problems to nearby streets.
What they're saying: Councilmember Quetcy Lozada, who represents parts of Kensington, told Axios she's seen some progress, "but we've got a long way to go."
- She wants to see a thriving commercial business corridor, better schools and more affordable housing.
- "For a long time, we've not had that and we've been at the bottom of every single one of those buckets," she said.