Ramsey says larger budget will go to more Philadelphia cops and cameras

While asking for a budget increase of $3.6 million, Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey told City Council he plans to use new cops and cameras to take on crime.

Commissioner Ramsey told council 97 percent of his over half billion dollar budget goes directly to salaries and benefits.  He says new police officers right out of the academy will be put on foot patrols to remove illegal guns from dangerous Philadelphia neighborhoods.

“You have heavy concentration and high tracts of poverty in those areas.  Unemployment rates are probably higher in those areas, we track not only homicides, we track our gun violence,” said Ramsey.

Deputy Commissioner John Gaittens says the department is also adding more video cameras. 

“We can view over 866 cameras right now.  We do have a major IT initiative starting out the Philadelphia Critical Infrastructure Protection Plan so we can tie in with the federal cameras as well,” said Gaittens.

The department also is coordinating to tap into civilian security cameras that are available online.