Philly police promote several from within

The Philadelphia Police Department promoted a number of its members during a special ceremony at Temple University on Friday morning.

Police Commissioner Richard J. Ross Jr., Mayor Jim Kenney and the executive command staff of the Philadelphia Police Department announced promotions of two inspectors, 11 captains, 27 lieutenants, 49 sergeants, 16 corporals and 21 detectives.

“Throughout the course of a year, we have people leaving, retiring, taking on new endeavors, and you’re going to have a need for various ranks to be promoted,” Lt. John Stanford told Metro.

“People retire every day in terms of ranks, that’s why we do so much in terms of recruitment, to replenish those ranks.”

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Stanford said promotions are done based on police department budgets and staffing needs, and he thanked the mayor for approving the appointments. This is Kenney’s first police department promotion as mayor. He was inauguratedin January.

“Folks getting promoted is always a good thing,” Stanford said.“For the city as a whole, any time we have an opportunity to put in new supervisors with fresh new ideas, it means additional supervision for our officers on the front lines.”

Kenney called leading the police department “the honor of his life.”

“Today was my first promotional ceremony, and it’s very inspiring to see so many men and women who have served our city selflessly for so many years already step up to take on even more responsibility,” he said.