Title
Recognizing the Philadelphia Police Department for its success in hosting the City’s inaugural Summer Night Lights Program in North Philadelphia’s 22nd Police District.
Body
WHEREAS, The Summer Night Lights (SNL) program, developed in Los Angeles, aims to combat violence by providing safe, positive, and engaging activities in neighborhoods with high levels of crime, particularly during peak gang activity hours. By offering these activities in community spaces during summer evenings, the program serves as a diversion for at-risk youth, helping to reduce violent crime while fostering stronger community connections; and
WHEREAS, SNL was developed by the City of Los Angeles as a proactive strategy to reduce violent crime by addressing the factors that contribute to youth involvement in gangs, including a lack of safe public spaces, limited economic opportunities, and overcrowded housing. By transforming community spaces into vibrant, safe environments with organized activities during critical hours, SNL has successfully reduced gang violence and promoted community engagement; and
WHEREAS, Key findings of Los Angeles’ Summer Night Lights program include that keeping parks open and well-lit during peak summer night hours significantly reduces gang/gun violence, and transforming high-risk areas like parks into lively spaces for youth and families helps build social connections, offering alternatives to criminal activity; and
WHEREAS, The Philadelphia Police Department, under Commissioner Kevin Bethel’s and Deputy Commissioner for Community Partnerships Myesha Massey’s leadership, identified the most violent grids in the City, with North Philadelphia's Pinpoint Area 221A (22nd Police District) as a priority target for this initiative’s launch in Philadelphia. Philadelphia began piloting an SNL program in the 22nd Police District as part of the Philadelphia Police Department’s (PPD) broader Gang Reduction and Youth Development (GRYD) strategy; and
WHEREAS, The pilot was scheduled to run from July 7, 2025, to August 16, 2025, with two key recreation centers Penrose Recreation Center and Winchester Recreation Center serving as the program’s focal points. The SNL pilot provided a model for the larger GRYD strategy, offering structured activities, mentorship, and family engagement within local recreation centers; and
WHEREAS, Weekly programming included two food trucks per location (one dinner-type and one ice cream/water ice truck), and DJ-led events to foster community participation. During those days both rec centers hosted sport clinics and activities until 7PM, engaging local youth through sports; and
WHEREAS, Programming also included adult support days, with speakers and city resources, focusing on parents, grandparents, and caregivers addressing their needs using data recently collected. This was in addition to activities for children. Life skills days featuring mentorship and exposure to motivational speakers from various sectors (business, careers, entrepreneurship) in addition to E-gamming events occurred on Wednesdays, while regular program activities with additional mentorship support for female youth and women within the community occurred on Thursdays; and
WHEREAS, Weekly evening block party from 5:30 PM - 9:30 PM, targeted seniors with food, resources, and community-building activities. Outdoor block captain meetings took place prior to every Saturday block party to build out relationships, work to solve problems, and build trust while being visible; and
WHEREAS, A key component of the Summer Night Lights (SNL) pilot addressed the broader environmental and quality of life concerns that often contribute to a sense of disinvestment and neglect within the community. To this end, the Philadelphia Police Department's (PPD) Community Partnership Division collaborated with the Streets Department, License and Inspections (L&I), and other city agencies to directly tackle issues such as neighborhood blight, abandoned vehicles, vacant homes, illegal dumping, and graffiti; and
WHEREAS, These collaborative efforts were coordinated weekly to ensure a clean and safe environment in the targeted areas, and resulted in the removal of abandoned vehicles, cleaning and greening of vacant lots, trash pickup and graffiti removal, and addressing blighted homes. These quality-of-life initiatives ran parallel to SNL programming and will directly support the creation of safe, welcoming spaces for youth and families. By addressing environmental concerns alongside youth programming, the initiative aims to transform the entire community atmosphere, creating spaces where families and young people can gather, connect, and thrive without the fear of crime or neglect; and
WHEREAS, North Philadelphia’s Summer Night Lights was a collaborative effort of the Philadelphia Police Department, Philadelphia Parks and Recreation, the Office of Public Safety, Philadelphia’s Juvenile Probation Department, the School District of Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Youth Sports Collaborative (PYSC), the Neubauer Family Foundation, the Stoneleigh Foundation, and Temple University; and
WHEREAS, The success of North Philadelphia’s Summer Night Lights is owed to the courtesy and professionalism of the 22nd Police District, who oversaw this pilot well and provided the North Philadelphia community with safe spaces to thrive and enjoy during the summer months. Despite planning setbacks due to the DC33 strike, they were able to pull off such a well-organized event that they were able to add an additional week to the 5-week program; and
WHEREAS, The SNL pilot serves as the launchpad for the broader GRYD strategy in Philadelphia, with the goal of expanding the program into 10 additional areas over the next five years. The lessons learned from this pilot will guide the City’s efforts to engage crime-stricken communities, improve police-community relations, and create lasting positive change; and
WHEREAS, This investment in the SNL pilot will also help secure future funding from the Philadelphia Police Department to sustain and grow the program, ensuring that it becomes a cornerstone of the Police Department’s violence reduction strategy; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That this esteemed body recognizes Philadelphia’s 22nd Police District for its success in hosting the City’s inaugural Summer Night Lights Program in North Philadelphia.
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