When Philadelphia Mayor-elect Cherelle Parker appointed North Wales’s Kevin Bethel as the new Philadelphia Police Commissioner, many suburban police chiefs expressed hope at the news, writes Vinny Vella for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Concerns over crime from Philadelphia spilling into other parts of the region have led many suburban police chiefs to speak out in frustration in recent months, but they say that Bethel, who is a former Philadelphia Police deputy commissioner and current chief of school safety for The Philadelphia School District, is the right leader to curb crime in the city.

Bethel is a 30-veteran who served under former Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey, a respected leader in law enforcement.

“Kevin is among the best. He comes out of that stock as a deputy commissioner who believes in crime reduction and is interested in juvenile justice,” Abington Township Police Chief Patrick Molloy said in an interview.

Mayor-elect Parker said that her public safety plan includes hiring 125 more police officers, increasing foot patrols, and strengthening relationships with small businesses and neighborhood groups.

Bensalem Township Public Safety Director William McVey added, “It’s clear that Mayor Parker wants to make a change and recognized the state of affairs in the city, and obviously, we are receptive to that.”

Read more about Kevin Bethel’s new role as Philadelphia Police Commissioner in The Philadelphia Inquirer

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