Philadelphia’s police commissioner announces he is retiring

The news comes three weeks before the election to decide Philadelphia’s next mayor, who will have the task of finding a successor to lead the 6,500-officer department.

Late Tuesday afternoon, the Mayor Michael Nutter’s office sent out an email alerting media that he would deliver a “major public safety announcement” on Wednesday morning. Ramsey said his 47-year career “has been a good ride”.

Ramsey said at a news conference attended by Nutter and other city officials that his last day would be January 7.

He has said he would pick someone from inside the department to take over if Ramsey didn’t remain in the job.

He was previously chief of the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D.C., and rose through the ranks of his native Chicago’s police department to become deputy superintendent.

The mayor thanked Ramsey “for an incredible level of service”.

“We haven’t done enough in a few neighborhoods”, Ramsey said.

The program begins with an intimate conversation with Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles H. Ramsey, who recently co-chaired the President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing. “I want to thank everybody for giving me the opportunity to serve in this great city”, he said. The 246 murders reported in 2013 were the lowest since 1967.

Ramsey’s plan included community engagement, more responsibilities for district captains and data-informed policing, Nutter said. The protesters chanted the names of people killed by police, including Brandon Tate-Brown.

As commissioner, Ramsey makes about $260,000 annually.

But Ramsey also racked up serious credentials as a police reformer within the department.

The recommendations made by the DOJ, Ramsey said, my take up to two years to implement, but has tackled about 30 percent of them – despite roadblocks contained within the department’s contract with the police union. There is no department policy encouraging stop and frisk, he said. Kenney said he would do away with police officers’ practice of patting down people suspected of carrying weapons.

“If he doesn’t run this department, ” Ramsey said, “he’ll run one somewhere else”.

“I’m not exhausted. I’m not burnt out”.