Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw will resign from her position later this month, according to a new report released by The Root.
Outlaw was the first Black woman to lead the department and was in the role for three years. She was tapped into the role shortly before the 2020 pandemic and Black Lives Matter protests that swarmed nations worldwide.
During the protests, city officials issued a statement condemning police officers who used rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse crowds, stating that it was “brutal” and “unacceptable.” The city then issued a $9.25 million settlement to hundreds of demonstrators, although Outlaw initially defended the officers’ actions.
Since taking office, there has also been a wave of allegations of police brutality throughout Philadelphia. In August, Outlaw suspended and fired an officer for insubordination after a man named Eddie Irizarry died due to alleged “policy allegations.” Several news outlets reported that Irizarry was fatally shot while sitting in his car. Police said at the time that Irizarry allegedly charged at officers with a knife.
Just as Outlaw is set to resign, Mayor Jim Kenney is also scheduled to leave office in the coming months.
“Commissioner Outlaw has worked relentlessly for three and a half years during an unprecedented era in our city and a number of crisis situations,” Kenney said in a statement, “and she deserves praise for her commitment to bring long-overdue reform to the Department after years of racism and gender discrimination prior to her appointment.”
In 2022, two former female officers won a $ 1 million lawsuit against Outlaw and the city of Philadelphia.
In the lawsuit, the officers said they “suffered a hostile work environment that included being placed in certain jobs as retaliation after they made complaints sexual harassment complaints,” according to The Root report.
First Deputy John M. Stanford Jr. has been tapped as the interim police commissioner after Outlaw resigns.
