Many in the South Philadelphia community think public safety can be improved and more can be done. Everyone has a part to play.

By Jensen Toussaint - September 17th, 2024.

Claudia Peregrina is the Senior Director at Mighty Writers El Futuro in South Philly, an organization that offers the community free after-school reading and writing programs. (Photo: Burkett Photography)

The South Philadelphia community is filled with residents, leaders, business owners, merchants, and workers who wake up each morning eager to live productive lives.

To do so, public safety is a critical piece of the puzzle.

However, what is public safety?

While it can mean slightly different things to different people, legal scholars define it as “the protection of the general public.”

But how does a community reach the point where the general public feels safe and protected?

While the discussion surrounding public safety often magnifies the need to address crime and violence — important parts of the equation — it doesn’t always include the basic human needs of everyday life, which are just as important.

Councilman Mark Squilla of the 1st District stressed that Mayor Cherelle Parker and her administration have made it a point to address public safety as “quality of life issues,” and criminal activity.

Parker signed an executive order declaring a public safety emergency in the City of Philadelphia in one of her first acts after being inaugurated as the 100th Mayor of Philadelphia.

The executive order highlights how Philadelphia, in recent years, has suffered record-breaking levels of criminal activity, shooting incidents, violent crimes, and an increase in retail and vehicle thefts.

“Public safety is a main priority to make sure that we stand up and let people know that this is going to be addressed, and it’s going to be addressed daily,” Squilla said.

“It’s not going to happen tomorrow or … in a week, but pieces are being put in place to allow public safety to be the priority that everyone wants,” he added.

Public safety is a much more complicated topic than what appears on the surface, and as the issue has reached a heightened level of concern in recent years than ever before, some in the South Philadelphia community are speaking out.

A South Philly Nonprofit Stands Strong

Mighty Writers El Futuro's classroom, a place where students improve their reading and writing skills. Photo: Burkett Photography

Mighty Writers El Futuro is a key organization in the South Philadelphia community that works to address public safety in various ways.

As one of four Mighty Writers locations in Philadelphia, it’s the only bilingual one focusing on Latino and Spanish-speaking communities.

Claudia Peregrina, senior director at Mighty Writers El Futuro in South Philly, said the organization’s mission is “to get support to all Latino community families.”

Many of the young people in Mighty Writers El Futuro are immigrants from Latin American countries who came to the United States with their parents.

“Many adults and immigrants, when they come, the first thing they wonder is: how is the security here in this country?” said Peregrina. “How will this city welcome me? What opportunities will I have here?”

Mighty Writers El Futuro addresses this through educational development, after-school programming, food distribution, and other methods.

The goal is to help youth and their families adapt to their new environment and feel welcomed, which adds a level of safety and security for many.

“That is important because when we don’t have good security in our community, that not only affects all our community, but it affects the most vulnerable people here,” Peregrina added.

Reading, writing, and language skills are among the most critical aspects of adapting to the environment, and Mighty Writers is at the center of providing these tools, among others.

Affecting the Bottom Line

Safety and security are crucially important for South Philly’s business community.

Photo: Marco’s Fish & Crab House Facebook Page

Marcos Tlacopilco owns Marco’s Fish & Crab House and Alma Del Mar, two Latino-owned businesses in the Italian Market.

After being staples in the South Philly community for over two decades and business owners for several years, he and his wife, Alma Romero, have seen a recent increase in crime in the neighborhood.

“In less than one year … someone stole my truck, the ATM machine outside, and they broke the locks in here,” said Tlacopilco. “I worry about that.”

Eugene Desyatnik, President of the Bella Vista Neighbors Association, confirmed that retail theft and break-ins have surged lately.

"That’s the type of thing that happens to small, independent business owners right there [on Ninth Street],” he said. “If you’re looking at the chains — the Rite Aids of the world — they get hit sometimes several times a day.”

According to City of Philadelphia statistics, retail thefts increased by 28% in 2023, while vehicle thefts increased by 72.4%.

The thefts can likely be attributed to just a handful of people or repeat offenders.

Desyatnik suggested that retail theft has become more commonplace because offenders target small businesses and items for smaller amounts of money to avoid more severe consequences.

While hard-working entrepreneurs like Tlacopilco and Romero had to find a way to recuperate from the thefts, the community stepped up in a big way during their time of crisis.

After launching a GoFundMe campaign, the community received word of what happened and took action.

Thanks to tens and thousands of dollars in donations from the community and help from the Philadelphia Department of Commerce, the merchants were able to replace the truck and move forward.

“It really meant a lot to us,” said Tlacopilco. “It shows that they care.”

Nonetheless, Tlacopilco remains concerned because he believes a lack of policing helped facilitate this kind of activity.

“The police numbers are down,” Squilla confirmed. “We’re not at our complement. We’re not even close to the 6,500 officers that we have budgeted for.”

He pinpointed the COVID pandemic, civil unrest, and retirement as some of the factors that have led to the lack of police officers within the Philadelphia Police Department.

As the City invests extra money in resources, recruitment, and hiring additional officers, it also works to retain those already on the force.

Desyatnik said that community policing would improve community relationships and create more open communication channels.

“But that is also going to take some time,” added Squilla.

While a lack of policing may have contributed to the circumstances Tlacopilco, Romero, and other business owners have faced, the aftermath is a good example of how the community can promote public safety for themselves and others.

However, the belief remains that more can be done. The Youth Also Have a Role to Play

Mighty Writer's staff:: Angie Bru, Jesus Rodríguez, Claudia Peregrina and Yazmin Pabon. (left to right). Photo: Burkett Photography

Daniela Morales is the literacy manager at Mighty Writers El Futuro.

Born in Mexico and raised in South Philly since the age of two, Morales has seen the level of public safety fluctuate, especially during the height of the pandemic.

She said the pandemic “made a situation that was already a little rocky a lot harder,” as she noticed a rise in teenage crime in the community.

Mighty Writers provides a space for youth to be productive during critical years of their lives. She works with youth between the ages of 13 and 17.

“I think it’s a great program for after school because it gives kids and teenagers a space where they can come do their homework, they can hang out, and enjoy some programs we have planned for them,” said Morales.

After a recent trip to Mexico, Morales experienced a significant cultural difference compared to the U.S.

“I think the U.S. culture, in general, can sometimes be individualistic,” she noted. “I feel like everybody in other countries [is] more community-based, and there’s a more natural care for one another.”

“So, with our own community, for example, with the teens I work with, I try to promote those community qualities,” she added.

This includes caring about one another, asking each other how their day is going, and helping when possible.

“Communication is really important,” Peregrina added.

The Personal Meaning of Public Safety

At the end of the day, people want to be able to feel safe where they live, work, and play.

Given the many different factors that affect public safety and quality of life, addressing them requires a multi-layered approach.

That comes through structure, togetherness, accountability, and more.

For Morales, a big part of public safety is public transportation.

A former frequent public transportation user, she said she stopped using public transportation during the pandemic because she no longer felt safe taking the train or subway.

This was even while, on average, carrying fewer than half the number of passengers at times than in the last pre-COVID year in 2019.

“Public safety, to me, means how safe I feel in public areas where they should be regulated by our government, like public transportation,” Morales added.

So far, in 2024, crime is down across the board.

A SEPTA Police report showed a 45% drop in crime during the first quarter of 2024 compared to last year. The decrease includes significant drops in aggravated assaults and robberies.

However, the same report also found that homicides increased during the same period.

As a business owner raising a family in the community, Tlacopilco quantifies public safety from both sides.

He wants to be able to spend time with his family, park his truck outside without worrying that it will be stolen, and not fear that his businesses will be broken into during or after hours.

“Especially here because Ninth Street is one of the big markets in Philadelphia,” Tlacopilco said. “It has a lot of history.”

While larger chain businesses have opened nearby in recent years, he believes the policing should be parallel for the small businesses that help the Italian Market thrive.

Public safety is also about not feeling afraid to use your voice and speak up.

Claudia Peregrina at Mighty Writers's entrance. Photo: Burkett Photography

Peregrina has been living in South Philadelphia for about 20 years, originally arriving from Mexico City.

She has also experienced times when she hasn’t felt safe compared to other times. However, she is optimistic about what can happen if people work together.

“Public safety is a problem for everyone. It’s a problem that everyone needs to pay attention to and get support for,” she said.

Peregrina said it takes empathy, good listening skills, and hard work to get there.

This is the first of a two-part article focused on the perspective of the South Philly Latine immigrant community on public safety.

This content is a part of Every Voice, Every Vote, a collaborative project managed by The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Lead support for Every Voice, Every Vote in 2024 and 2025 is provided by the William Penn Foundation with additional funding from The Lenfest Institute for Journalism, Comcast NBC Universal, The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Henry L. Kimelman Family Foundation, Judy and Peter Leone, Arctos Foundation, Wyncote Foundation, 25th Century Foundation, and Dolfinger-McMahon Foundation. To learn more about the project and view a full list of supporters, visit www.everyvoice-everyvote.org. Editorial content is created independently of the project’s donors.

“Not feeling afraid to use your voice and speak up” - Latine Immigrants reflect on public safety in South Philly