Kensington residents react to Mayor Parker's plan for the community

When she stepped into office this week, Mayor Cherelle Parker, a Democrat, brought with her a plan for her first 100 days in office and a promise to "make Philadelphia safer, cleaner, and greener, with economic opportunity for all."

And, as she showed on Tuesday, she's focused on improving Kensington -- even swearing in the city's newest Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel at a public school in that community.

She immediately declared a public safety emergency in Philadelphia and directed Bethel and the Managing Director’s Office to develop comprehensive plans that address public safety across the city.

Kensington is the only neighborhood named to be the focus of public safety efforts in the new mayor's plan for her first 100 days -- noting that Parker hopes to permanently shut down open-air drug markets in the city, including there.

In the past, Parker has even suggested bringing in the National Guard to police the neighborhood that has long been plagued by the fallout from open-air dug markets and narcotics use.

It's an effort that community leaders and those who live in Kensington said they would welcome -- depending on how it would play out.

Philly records highest ever overdose deaths

But, first, some background.

In 2022, Philadelphia saw 1,413 unintentional overdose deaths -- it was more than ever before. It marked an 11-percent increase from 2021's previous high of 1,276 accidental overdose deaths.

However, this issue isn't confined to Kensington, as overdoses occurred in every neighborhood in the city that year.

Though, in 2021 -- the prior year with record overdose deaths -- the city saw sharp increases in fatal overdoses in Kensington and North Philadelphia, especially in ZIP codes 19124, 19132, 19133, and 19144.

Also, a 2019 Drexel University study found Kensington had a higher rate of violent crime and property crime than the city as a whole.

'The mayor's got to put her foot down'

Philadelphia councilwoman Quetcy Lozada, whose 7th councilmanic district covers Kensington, said she would welcome Parker's hardline approach to combatting issues in the community.

"We can be compassionate and we can be empathetic and we can respect people's rights and people's lives and people's conditions, even though we are bringing them in through the arrest process," she said.

And, some in the neighborhood agreed.

In fact, Brian Kilroy, a local resident, told NBC10's Miguel Martinez-Valle he would support a stern government response to the issues that the neighborhood faces.

"The mayor's got to put her foot down with the drugs," he said. "Bring the FBI, U.S. Marshals, whatever, the DEA, clear that out first, all the drugs, if you can do that. And, prioritize the homeless, get housing so the homeless can at least get a room."

Yet, others are looking for a more measured approach.

'Reach out to the people that's doing the work'

Rosalind Pichardo, founder of Operation Save Our City, a group that works closely with those struggling with addiction in the Kensington community, said that she supports efforts to impact issues in the area, but wants the focus less on arrests and more on treatment of the root causes of addiction.

"We definitely need more folks to help us clean and get this stuff in order in that way. But, we have to realize that we also need resources," she said. "We can clean up the community if we want. But, if we don't have resources for the folks that are unhoused, then it's no point of having to keep cleaning every single day."

Asked about more police enforcement, she said, "I don't think that's a solution either."

"We just got to figure it out with more resources, more services as far as addiction and ways of healing, opposed to just locking people up," said Pachardo.

Patrice Rogers, founder of Stop the Risk, an outreach group that works with those struggling with addiction in Kensington, said she welcomes the help, but doesn't want to be excluded from any efforts that Parker's administration intends to undertake in the future.

"My only concern when she gets here is that she's going to forget about the people that's already down here doing this work. You know, that's been facing this opioid addiction down here for the past three-four years without the city's help," said Rogers. "And, I just don't want them to come in and to remove everybody without talking to grassroots community leaders that have been here."

Also, asked about the potential for more arrests through Parker's efforts, Rogers said that law enforcement officials need to remember to focus on those who have committed crimes, before those who struggle with addiction.

"Well, who are we arresting? Are we arresting people who are facing opioid addiction or are we arresting those who are doing crimes as well?" she asked. "What is the help that these people are going to get? Who's being arrested?"

So far, she said, no one from Parker's administration has reached out to her organization in order to discuss issues in the Kensington community or how her group could support any solution.

"Come out and reach out to the people that's doing the work," she said.

David Oney, another local resident, said that he just wants to see some action taken by City Hall after promises in the past "have gone out the window."

"If she's real about her promises, she would have acted on it ASAP. Because, from what I see, there's drug activity everywhere," he said. "I'm a big believer of, if you say you were going to do something, do it. Don't go back on your word."