Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney Announces 13 Police Reform Measures, No Increase To Budget

Howard Monroe reports.

THE PEACEFUL PROTEST.THIS DEMONSTRATION FOCUSED ONSPEAKING OUT AGAINST RACISM.IN THE WAKE OF FLOYD'SDEATH PHILADELPHIA MAYOR JIMKENNEY HAS UNVEILED A NEWAGENDA FOR POLICE REFORM."EYEWITNESS NEWS" REPORTERHOWARD MONROE IS IN SOUTHWESTPHILLY WHERE A ROUND TABLEDISCUSSION IS UNDER WAY.HI, HOWARD.Reporter: HI, JESSICA.THIS IS SORT OF A LISTENINGSESSION FOR COUNCILMANKENYATTA JOHNSON AND ALSO THEPOLICE DEPARTMENT.HOWEVER IT IS A SPEAKINGSESSION FOR THOSE HERE IN THECOMMUNITY.SOMEONE HERE WHO IS TAKINGPART IN THIS ROUNDTABLEDISCUSSION SAID IN ORDER TOIMPROVE RELATIONS THEY NEED TOACCEPT THEIR CULTURE MORE.THERE'S ABOUT A FEW DOZENPEOPLE HERE HEARING FROM THECOUNCILMAN AND POLICE ABOUTWHERE THE CITY GOES FROM HERE.THE DISCUSSION IS GEAREDTOWARDS THE YOUTH AND THEAFTERMATH OF THE PROTESTSJOHNSON SAID HE WANTS TO USETHIS FORUM TO BUILD BRIDGESBETWEEN THE COMMUNITY AND LAWENFORCEMENT.AT MANY OF THESE PROTESTSPEOPLE HAVE DEMANDED POLICEREFORMS.TUESDAY AFTERNOON MAYOR KENNEYRELEASED 13 NEW REFORMS.THEY INTEND TO IMPLEMENT.THEY INCLUDE UPDATE TO THE USEOF FORCE POLICIES, CREATING ACIVILIAN OVERSIGHT COMMISSION,NEW STAFF WILL BE HIRED TOFOCUS ON MISCONDUCT ANDBRUTALITY.THERE ARE ALSO CHANGES COMINGTO COLLECTIVE BARGAINING WITHTHE POLICE UNION.ALSO THE MAYOR IS ELIMINATINGTHE INCREASE IN THE POLICEDEPARTMENT'S BUDGET.HE HAD PROPOSED TO INCREASETHEIR BUDGET BY $14 MILLION.BUT ON MONDAY, 14 OF THECITY'S 17 COUNCIL MEMBERSINDICATED THAT THEY WOULDN'TAPPROVE THE INCREASE.JOHNSON WAS ONE OF THOSECOUNCIL MEMBERS WHO SIGNEDTHAT LETTER.HE SAYS THAT HE WOULD LIKE TOSPEND THAT MONEY ON JOBTRAINING, VIOLENCE PREVENTIONPROGRAMS, LIBRARY FUNDING ANDPARKS AND RECREATIONFACILITIES.IF YOUNG MEN ARE ON ABASKETBALL COURT PLAYINGBASKETBALL OR OUR YOUTH AREPLAYING FOOTBALL AND THEYDON'T HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITYTHIS SUMMER, THE OTHERALTERNATIVE IS STANDING ON THECORNER.THE OTHER ALTERNATIVE ISCARRYING A GUN.PART THAT OF ADDITIONALMONEY FOR WAS EXPANSION OFBODY CAMERAS AND FOR OTHERTRAINING THEY WANTED TO DO ONBIAS AND ANTIRACIST TRAINING.WE'LL TRY TO FIGURE OUT A WAYTO GET THAT DONE IN ANOTHERWAY BUT IT WAS CLEAR WEWEREN'T GOING TO HAVE VOTESFOR THE -- 14 VOTES FOR THEINCREASE AND WE'LL READJUST.Reporter: NOW, THISDISCUSSION WILL BE GOING ONFOR ABOUT ANOTHER HOUR OR SO.RIGHT NOW YOU'RE LOOKING ATONE OF THE POLICE OFFICERSEXPLAINING TO THE GROUP WHYSHE DECIDED TO GET INVOLVEDWITH LAW ENFORCEMENT.THAT WAS MAYOR KENNEY HUGHHEARD SPEAKING ABOUT THEQUOTE/UNQUOTE CALLS TO DEFUNDTHE POLICE BY THE WAY.THE BUDGET IS DUE AT THE ENDOF THIS MONTH.