This past year, 2025, saw unprecedented drops in the murder rates of cities around the country, with Philadelphia being one of the most improved. While part of this improvement must be attributed to a national or even international trend, we cannot discount the efforts of local officials in giving Philadelphia its least-deadly year since 1966. 

The credit locally should not go to the District Attorney, whose soft-on-crime policies are fundamentally unchanged since his election in 2017. Krasner oversaw Philly’s worst crime spike — one that began before Covid and the George Floyd riots and which significantly outpaced the national rise in violent crime. Krasner’s actions in joining Sheriff Rochelle Bilal last week in stoking rage and resistance to federal authority shows that neither of these law enforcement figures are serious about reducing crime or tumult in the city that elected them.

As absurd as that attention-grabbing press conference was, it is useful in showing who was not involved — who was serious about improving life in the city. The responsible, sober-minded people in city leadership aren’t doing phony press events — they’re doing the work to keep the city safe.

We refer, of course, to Mayor Cherelle Parker and Police Chief Kevin Bethel.

Parker represented change from the moment she took office, merely by appearing to want to do the job of mayor — unlike her predecessor, Jim Kenney. She showed that crime and quality of life would be at the top of her mind by taking action to clear some of the worst of the open-air, unchecked opioid haven that was taking over Kensington. There is yet more work to be done — more addicts who need help, more drug pushers who need jail — but the work has at least begun, and one of the worst areas of criminality in the city has shown some small signs of improvement.

Likewise — again no thanks to Krasner — the idea of enforcing the law is back in favor, and Bethel’s officers are trying their best to return the city to pre-Covid levels of lawfulness. Again, there is more work to be done, especially as to the quality of life issues that make the city a less pleasant place for all who live and work there, but we are seeing a return to normalcy among the police, which can only be good for the city. 

After Bilal’s inflammatory statements about ICE officers, Bethel calmly reminded the world that the Philadelphia Police Department — not the Sheriff’s office — is responsible for law enforcement in Philadelphia. This is the way serious people deal with serious problems. While Bilal and Krasner want to fan the flames and turn Philadelphia into a second Minneapolis, Parker and Bethel are looking for solutions to keep the city and all of its inhabitants safe.

We will not always agree with everything Mayor Parker does in governing Philadelphia. But we must give credit where it is due and tip our hats to a mayor that wants to build up the city, not burn it down.