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Tainted Philly police officer assignments criticized; Gov. Wolf takes aim at lead in schools | Morning Newsletter

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The real time crime command center is shown,  in the Anti-Terrorism unit building in south Philadelphia. Thursday, March 7, 2019. For years, Philadelphia police have assigned some of their most problematic officers to work at this federally funded anti-terrorism location.
The real time crime command center is shown, in the Anti-Terrorism unit building in south Philadelphia. Thursday, March 7, 2019. For years, Philadelphia police have assigned some of their most problematic officers to work at this federally funded anti-terrorism location.Read moreJOSE F. MORENO / Staff Photographer

    The Morning Newsletter

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When Philadelphia police officers are the focus of investigations, they’re deemed unfit to serve on the street. Critics argue that they also shouldn’t be serving in the highly-sensitive unit where many are assigned. Unfit might also be a word Governor Wolf would use to describe the conditions in some Philly schools. He’s calling on lawmakers to back his multibillion dollar plan to change that. A non-profit is hoping to change the outlook of the opioid crisis in Philly by opening the nation’s first supervised injection site. They might be one step closer to doing so.

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— Ray Boyd (@RayBoydDigital, morningnewsletter@philly.com)

Have you ever wondered what happens to police officers who are deemed unfit for street duty because of pending investigations? The Philadelphia Police Department’s solution to this problem is facing some criticism.

Officers in this category have recently been sent to monitor security cameras inside a highly-sensitive federally-funded Homeland Security intelligence-sharing center.

Commissioner Richard Ross says placing officers on the camera unit is a low-risk way to get work from tainted officers still on the payroll. But critics argue that it’s the last place you’d want an officer with credibility issues.

Gov. Tom Wolf called for $100 million in additional funds to repair and remove lead paint from Philadelphia district schools. Wolf says his plan was informed by The Inquirer’s Toxic City: Sick Schools investigation.

Last year, Inquirer reporters shed light on the dangerous levels of environmental hazards that put students at risk every day in Philly schools.

Wolf’s proposed Restore Pennsylvania is a four-year, multibillion dollar initiative to fix crumbling schools across the state. He is asking lawmakers to fund the initiative with taxes on natural gas extraction.

Safehouse, the non-profit founded to open a supervised injection site in Philadelphia, might have moved a step closer to making that a reality. Representatives announced they’ve entered into negotiations to lease a property in Kensington that could become the nation’s first such site.

According to a source with knowledge of the negotiations, Safehouse could wind up getting the space rent-free. And they say the family offering the location has a personal connection to the crisis.

Kensington has long been the center of the city’s battle with opioids and this location has emerged as Safehouse’s frontrunner due to how convenient it would be for many people in addiction. Despite the development, there is still a major obstacle standing in Safehouse’s way.

What you need to know today

  1. Union leader John Dougherty made his first in-court attack on the federal charges brought against him Thursday — allegations he labeled “a feeble attempt at criminalizing the legislative process.”

  2. U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents announced the largest drug seizure at the Port of Philadelphia in two decades this week. How the $38 million worth of cocaine made its way onto a shipping container there is still a mystery.

  3. Recovery Centers of America at Devon prides itself on helping people who are battling addiction. But RCA often calls for help as well — putting a strain on a local volunteer fire company.

  4. Philadelphia officials learned quite a few lessons when Puerto Rican evacuees fled to the city after Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017. The biggest takeaway: Philly wasn’t as prepared as officials would have hoped.

  5. Temple University and the Philadelphia Department of Public Health will open two free clinics at the university next week to help deal with the school’s mumps outbreak. But some students want to see a more drastic step taken.

Through Your Eyes | #OurPhilly

There’s something so charming about this nighttime shot of Philly. Thanks for sharing, @filladelphie.

Tag your Instagram posts or tweets with #OurPhilly and we’ll pick our favorite each day to feature in this newsletter and give you a shout out!

That’s Interesting

  1. Few competitors are capable of displaying the endurance and cunning of Abington Senior High School’s newest national champions. The school’s chess players recently showed both traits as well as a natural will to win.

  2. Villanova basketball’s drive to win has landed them two recent national titles. Their quest to repeat opened up with a narrow win in a game that at times appeared to have major upset written all over it.

  3. Bryce Harper certainly didn’t disappoint Phillies fans yesterday. The newest Phillies slugger hit not one, but two home runs. Looks like he’s finding that swing.

  4. Since Philly received the World Heritage City designation in 2015, visitors have been flocking to the city. The hotel industry is booming as a result and one chain plans to hire hundreds of employees ahead of a summer opening.

  5. Nearly two decades ago, a Haddonfield woman volunteered to direct the talent show at her children’s elementary school. In 18 years she’s transformed the show. Tonight will be a swan song of sorts.

Opinions

“The encampments in Kensington are a symptom of both the opioid crisis and the lack of social services for those who need them most. Investment in housing and resources is the best way to keep them closed.” — The Inquirer Editorial Board on what must happen following Philadelphia’s closure of Kensington encampments.

  1. The hit Broadway show Miss Saigon at The Kimmel Center was technically beautiful. But reporter Bethany Ao writes that the nature of the story itself made watching the show a deeply unsettling experience.

  2. President Trump has thrown basic decency out the window in his recent attacks against the late Sen. John McCain, columnist Christine Flowers writes.

What we’re reading

  1. The speed at which we can travel from one city to another has perhaps caused most of us to lose appreciation for how vast and unique the U.S. truly is. Read The New York Times Magazine’s feature on taking Amtrak from New York to Los Angeles and try not to plan a trip for yourself.

  2. In recent generations, life improvement is quite measurable. But despite a more comfortable experience for many, our food is killing us, The Guardian reports. And it’s not due to a lack of it.

  3. Employee. Freelancer. What’s the difference? It turns out the differences in these job classifications are very important and workers stand to get cheated when employers don’t get it right, Vox explains.

  4. Democratic presidential hopefuls Bernie Sanders and Beto O’Rourke are out in front of the crowded field, at least in terms of early fundraising. FiveThirtyEight shows that while the early cash is a good sign for both candidates, it doesn’t tell the entire story.

  5. Both of those candidates are hoping to receive the party’s nomination at the 2020 Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee. Since Philly played host in 2016, Billy Penn decided to offer the Midwest city a few hot tips on hosting the Democrats’ big party.

A Daily Dose of | Homecoming

Vinny Curry grew up rooting for the Eagles and went on to win a Super Bowl with the squad. After spending just one season away from the nest, Curry is happy to be home.