June 1, 2021

To Our Drexel Community,

I am reaching out to the Drexel community and our neighbors, as Chief of the Drexel University Police Department, acknowledging my responsibility and accountability to our community: a responsibility to learn from the past and the 21CP Solutions report, to recognize the present conflicts and issues, and commit to working with our community against mistrust and injustice as we begin to re-envision public safety for Drexel.

As our community reviews the "21CP Solutions Report – Toward a New Vision of Public Safety, Community Well-being, and Policing at Drexel University," Drexel Police commit to listening to our community and working through the recommendations in the report. Law enforcement is one of our country's most complex professions, a profession that must daily address many social issues and rising violent crime in our country. We are committed to engagement with all areas of the community for successful reform through respectful and peaceful conversations.

We have already made some changes and will continue to review recommendations and implement more changes in policy, training and practice. Often with change comes difficult challenges, but nothing should be insurmountable if we work together. We can get through this together.

The past year has been difficult for our community, our country and our world. Together we have faced extreme and unimaginable social challenges and rising crime. Some of the challenges have been the most transformative, demanding and difficult I have faced in my career and life, particularly with respect to law enforcement.

I speak for all Drexel Officers when I say we cannot change injustices in history, however, we pledge to be part of positive and progressive change in partnership with our Drexel community. We empathize and have compassion for our citizens impacted by any negative encounter with a police officer. We look forward to the future and to building trust with our community.

I am proud of our Drexel Police Officers and every member of our Public Safety Department for their sincere dedication to our community, especially over the past year. As the University was mostly remote, Public Safety remained on duty, on campus 24/7 to serve our community through all the challenges, risks and the escalating violence in the city. I sincerely appreciate the loyalty of the Public Safety employees to the community.

As Chief, I am committed to working with the community and addressing the recommendations of the 21CP Solutions report. Together, we can begin to learn from one another and engage in the best practices for delivering professional public safety and health services to the people we serve.

Sincerely,

Chief Eileen W. Behr
V.P. Drexel Public Safety / Chief of Police