The officer has been identified as 38-year-old Alexis Montanez.
Montanez was a 17-year veteran of the force and assigned to the 9th Police District, officials said.
It happened around 3:30 a.m. Saturday on the 2900 block of Holme Avenue in Northeast Philadelphia.
Police said Montanez was driving westbound when he lost control of his 2007 Infiniti and crashed into a tree.
Medics pronounced him dead at the scene.
There is no information at this time on why Montanez lost control of the vehicle.