Top Police Brass Hit the Streets

April 2, 2007 (WPVI) -- Commissioner Johnson and other top police officials are hitting the streets Monday night in an attempt to stop a wave of murders that has topped 100.

We are witnessing what may be the beginning of a galvanizing effort to combat the rising tide of violence in Philadelphia. From government initiatives, community initiatives and the police who Monday night in a dramatic move at the direction of Commissioner Sylvester Johnson, put all it's commanders on the streets to help officers fight crime.

Staff Inspector Gerald Bates normally wears a suit, but Monday night he was back in uniform helping patrol the streets. Soon, the radio dispatcher puts the word out about a burglary in progress not far from us in the Summerdale section.

The adrenaline kicks in as we go on the hunt for two thieves in a brown Dodge, but the call turns out to be unfounded.

And then there was this... DISPATCHER: A suicidal male with a gun inside a vehicle in front of Friends (Hospital)" A suicidal man with a gun at Friends Psychiatric Hospital off the Roosevelt Boulevard. But the matter was resolved before we arrived.

For Inspector Bates, it was a refresher course on patrolling the streets. "Uh, most of these commanders are very experienced, on the downside, some of us haven't been on the street in a while, but like anything, it's like riding a bike, you don't forget how to ride a bike," said Bates.

Bates is one of a 150 commanders to join Police Commissioner Sylvester Johnson back on patrol as part of an effort to curb the rising tide of violence.

Johnson said, "I mean I've cleared almost every single police officer that I can put on the street in administrative, we've already done that, now it's time for the commanders to go out there and do their job, get out of the stands and get in the field."

Meanwhile, Mayor Street swore in new parent truant officers, as part of a crackdown on truancy he hopes will lead to a drop in crime.

And in Southwest Philadelphia tonight, State Senator Tony Williams gathered residents asking men to help form a citizen army to protect women and children. "We're coming back here next week, we're gonna come back here next week and my hope is that we will organize these troops," said Williams.

On the bright side Monday night, we've gone through an entire day in Philadelphia without a killing.

(Copyright 2007 by Action News and 6abc. All Rights Reserved.)

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