New batch of Philadelphia police officers graduate before being dispatched to Kensington

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- The Philadelphia Police Department's newest officers will be jumping right into the city's Kensington initiative.

The mission for the new officers comes more than a month after the city cleared out encampments along Kensington Avenue near Allegheny.

A group of 79 men and women graduated from the police academy Monday during a ceremony at the Temple University Performing Arts Center. Of that group, 75 were sworn in as Philadelphia police officers and four as Temple University police officers.

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It is the largest graduating class since 2018.

Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel says they'll be immediately dispatched to Kensington, as the department cracks down on drug dealing and prostitution, and focuses on quality-of-life crimes.

"There is no playbook to dismantling an open-air market. We are creating it," Bethel said.

Police recruitment became a nationwide issue last year. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro also signed a law at the end of last year lowering the physical requirement.

Since the law took effect, Captain John Walker says 51% of people testing have passed, compared to 36% previously. However, the city did not lower its written and training standards.

Another 50 began at the academy on Monday.

Philadelphia police are also having an open application drive from June 24 to July 21. For more information, visit JoinPhillyPD.com.