Philadelphia Eagles captain Malcolm Jenkins is among a group of activists asking for more transparency in the search for a new Philadelphia police commissioner.
According to The Philadelphia Tribune, Jenkins and other residents are worried because the search hasn't been as transparent as city officials promised it would be.
“The mayor was elected by a strong majority,” Jenkins told the Philadelphia Tribune. “But in doing so, we did not elect to be left out of this important process. And there is still time for him to rectify that.”
The Eagles safety was among 200 residents who joined a rally Monday, urging Mayor Jim Kenney to be more transparent, the newspaper reported.
“Whoever the mayor appoints as the next commissioner, they must promise to make major changes in how policing occurs in the city,” he said during the gathering. “There can be no tolerance for racism going forward. The commissioner must implement strict policies to limit the impact of racial biases."
The police department has seen several controversial incidents this year, The Philadelphia Inquirer reports. In February, a homicide detective was accused of sexually assaulting male witnesses during his investigations, then intimidating them to stay quiet. In August, former commissioner Richard Ross resigned after a woman filed a lawsuit, saying Ross retaliated against her for breaking off their affair.
Last month, Chief Inspector Carl Holmes was arrested and accused of sexually assaulting three women. Advocates also published a database in June, showing offensive social media posts by more than 300 current officers in the city.
“The next commissioner will have the critical task of repairing the harm created by officers who abused their power,” Jenkins said. “The mayor must listen to the community as he makes his selection, and he must hire someone who promises not to tolerate those on the force who believe they are above the law. The safety of our neighborhoods is at stake.”
According to the Pennsylvania Capital-Star, the mayor announced earlier this year that he would name a commissioner before the end of the year, but he didn't give any details about the selection process.
Mike Dunn, a spokesman for the Kenney administration, told the newspaper that disclosure wasn’t fair to the candidates.
“In fact, a public interview process would likely scare away a good number of potential candidates who would not want to endanger their current position through such disclosure,” he said.
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner said he feels optimistic about the activists' effort to bring accountability and transparency.
“Your voices have been so loud and so clear,” he said to the crowd. “Government cannot help but hear your voices.”
Chicago also faced controversy recently when Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson was found drunk and asleep in his car.
"I have terminated Eddie Johnson's employment with the City of Chicago," Mayor Lori Lightfoot said in a statement. "It has become clear that Mr. Johnson engaged in a series of ethical lapses that are intolerable. Mr. Johnson was intentionally dishonest with me and communicated a narrative replete with false statements regarding the material aspects of the incident that happened in the early morning hours of October 17."
