Civil Society/Law Enforcement/Theme

 Philadelphia Police and its District Attorney's Office are seen in modern days as being at odds with one another. The DA's office is mouthing the words of restorative justice, of cashless bail. It cites the corruption within the Philadelphia Police Department when pushing for outcome based sentencing and more humane policing practices. Meanwhile, review of officer involved shootings are lagging years behind, even as the Philadelphia PD is experiencing one of the lowest periods of officer involved shootings in its history.

 Calls to the Police Department for any sort of non-emergency can take hours-- sometimes days --to see a response from the Police. Drivers have taken to using dash cams to chronicle the accidents that may take place rather than hope that an officer will show to document the events of a car crash. There's really only one way to ensure the police will even turn up when called: discharge a firearm, or donate heavily to political campaigns. At least in certain neighborhoods. The Main Line never has to worry much about police response, while the people of Kensington hide their children and pets when the cruisers make their infrequent jaunts through Philadelphia's streets.

 Paradoxically, there's always more than enough overtime in the budget to fully staff events, escort parades, and guard demonstrations. Sure, that bike cop has an Iron Eagle tattoo, and that Lieutenant over there just shook hands with the guy from Identity Europa before ordering the clearing of Love Park of all those black clad counter-protesters. But that's just how the sausage is made in Philadelphia. A casing of money and power with a filling of the ground up lives of the poor and the working classes.

 And then there's you, officer. Where do you fit in?