An Officer and a Gentleman

By Cait Allen

Meet Lieutenant Steve Ricci, a 10year Philadelphia Police Department veteran and new commanding officer of the South Street MiniStation. Though this is his first appointment to the Third Police District, he’s hardly new to the neighborhood, visiting South Street throughout his youth. QVNA president, Cait Allen, sat down with Lt. Ricci to learn more about him and his hopes for the Village.

Cait Allen: This is your first appointment to the MiniStation?

Lt Steve Ricci: Yes. I spent time down here as an officer, but I actually grew up coming to South Street. I used to skateboard down here and would go to the tattoo parlors on Fourth Street.

CA: What’s it like now that you’re coming back to run the MiniStation?

SR: It’s a little surreal, to be honest. Working in a place where I used to come as a kid. But South Street has such an amazing history, I’m grateful to get to be a part of it.

CA: What made you want to be a police officer?

SR: I really liked action movies when I was a kid. Especially “buddy cop” movies like Bad Boys. They were so much fun. But then I grew up and learned more about what being a police officer is really like and how they help people. And that’s what I wanted to do.

CA: What are your hopes for the neighborhood?

SR: It’s really important to me for South Street to be a thriving commercial corridor. But that can only happen if people feel safe to come down here. That means a couple different things. First, is obvious- ly addressing the crime and holding the people who break the law accountable.

But just as is important is for me and my officers to be seen as part of the community. Getting to know the nearby neighbors and business owners. Trying to get the same officers down here so people know them and we know the people coming to enjoy the Street.

We’re also trying to come to community events whenever we can.

CA: Tell me more about that.

SR: Some of us were fortunate enough to participate in the Courtyard Mentor Network — a program that mentors young men in the neighborhood. We did one workshop to explain more about what being a police officer is like and to hopefully encourage them to want a career in law enforcement. We’re hoping to make it a regular thing and already have some events planned this summer.

CA: What do you foresee as your biggest challenges?

SR: I wish our staffing levels were higher. I know people get frustrated when we can’t get there quickly. Please know that we’re frustrated too. And we wish we could respond to every call right away. But it’s important to keep calling 911 so we have a record of what’s going on.

CA: When should people call 911?

SR: Any time you’re in a situation when you feel like you need an officercall 911. If you feel unsafe or witness a crime, call. Every call will eventually be answered, and we will respond as soon as we can. But if you don’t call, we have no way to really keep track of what’s going on in an area. ■

For dates of Lt. Ricci’s Question & Answer sessions with QVNA, subscribe to the weekly eNews at qvna.org/enews-signup