The Office of Public Safety in Philadelphia is a pivotal and recently established city entity dedicated to coordinating and enhancing public safety efforts across multiple departments and agencies. Formed in 2024 by an executive order from Mayor Cherelle L. Parker, this office serves as a central hub to promote a safer Philadelphia by aligning and integrating resources, policies, and stakeholders across the city’s public safety landscape. The Office of Public Safety (OPS) plays a unique role as both a strategic coordinator and a policy advisor, working closely with frontline agencies such as the Philadelphia Police Department, Fire Department, Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services, Department of Public Health, and the Department of Prisons.
OPS is led by the Chief Public Safety Director, a mayoral appointee who serves as a cabinet-level official confirmed by City Council. As of 2025, Adam Geer holds this position, bringing extensive law enforcement leadership experience to the role. His office supervises an integrated team and various divisions that offer specialized functions designed to address critical public safety needs holistically. Through this structure, Philadelphia seeks to create broad, targeted public safety initiatives that combine prevention, enforcement, victim support, and reintegration services with a strong emphasis on collaboration and resource optimization.
Since its inception, OPS has absorbed five formerly separate offices, creating a more streamlined and comprehensive approach to public safety. These absorbed entities include the Office of Safer Neighborhoods (previously known as the Office of Violence Prevention), Office of the Victim Advocate, Office of Reentry Partnerships, Office of Criminal Justice, and Town Watch Integrated Services. Each of these offices focuses on critical aspects of the city’s safety and justice ecosystem, from violence reduction to victim rights and community engagement. By unifying these under the OPS umbrella, Philadelphia aims to bolster the efficacy and impact of its public safety programs while fostering stronger communication and coordination among related departments.
Responsibilities and Functions of the Office of Public Safety
The primary responsibility of the Office of Public Safety is to coordinate cross-departmental efforts that enhance public safety citywide. This involves overseeing and integrating resources, personnel, and strategies from various city agencies to ensure cohesive planning and deployment. OPS provides vital input on policymaking, program development, and budget planning related to public safety functions, offering guidance to other city departments to improve service delivery and operational effectiveness.
Among its key functions are:
- Resource Deployment Coordination: OPS ensures efficient use of personnel, equipment, and financial resources across the Police, Fire, Prisons, and other safety-related departments.
- Policy Formulation and Guidance: The office offers strategic direction on operational policies and work programs to align agency efforts with the mayor’s public safety goals.
- Stakeholder Engagement: OPS maintains cooperative relations with civic organizations, business groups, schools, and other local institutions to promote community safety and involvement.
- Oversight of Security in City Facilities: OPS plans and manages security for all municipal buildings, recreation spaces, and Philadelphia School District facilities, including contracts for security services.
- Performance Management: The office regularly evaluates the effectiveness of public safety programs and departments, recommending improvements based on data and research.
OPS also administers several specialized units and programs such as the Overdose Response Unit, Group Violence Intervention program, and a crime-scene cleanup initiative in partnership with police. These targeted programs illustrate OPS’s comprehensive approach that combines prevention, enforcement, victim services, and public engagement.
Structure and Partnerships
The Office of Public Safety operates as an executive-level agency within Philadelphia’s municipal government, working in tandem with the Managing Director’s Office and the Mayor’s Cabinet. The Chief Public Safety Director holds broad authority and responsibility to oversee and coordinate public safety functions, reflecting a modern governance model found in other large cities like Chicago that consolidate public safety leadership to increase efficiency and collaboration.
The OPS structure includes senior staff positions such as a community partnerships team, director of performance management, and director of grants, positions focused on building community ties, monitoring outcomes, and securing funding for safety initiatives. By integrating these functions, OPS promotes data-driven and community-informed practices while scaling up interventions for critical issues like gun violence, victim assistance, reentry support for formerly incarcerated individuals, and drug overdose mitigation.
Coordination with the Philadelphia Police Department is particularly crucial, as OPS supports the largest public safety agency in the city. Police efforts are supplemented by OPS programs that extend beyond enforcement to address root causes of violence and improve neighborhood safety comprehensively. OPS also collaborates with public health, corrections, and behavioral health departments to provide multi-dimensional responses to overlapping social and safety challenges.
Contact Information for the Office of Public Safety, Philadelphia
- Name: Adam Geer, Chief Public Safety Director
- Address: Office of Public Safety, City Hall, Philadelphia, PA 19107
- Phone: (215) 686-0000 (City Hall main line; specific OPS contact details often routed through managing director’s office)
- Official Website: https://www.phila.gov/departments/office-of-public-safety/
- Location Map: Available on the City of Philadelphia website under the departments section
Specialty and Reputation
Philadelphia’s Office of Public Safety specializes in holistic, coordinated public safety management that emphasizes interagency collaboration and strategic resource optimization. The office is recognized for pioneering an integrated approach that brings together enforcement, prevention, victim advocacy, and community partnerships within a single bureaucratic entity. By bridging gaps between different safety agencies and services, OPS aims to create synergies that enhance the city’s ability to reduce crime, support victims, and respond effectively to crises like violence and overdose deaths.
OPS is known for innovation in public safety policy and program development, emphasizing data-driven decision-making and performance management. Its administration of federal grants, such as those supporting youth and family caseworkers in violence intervention areas, showcases a results-oriented focus on reducing gun violence and supporting vulnerable populations. The office also works publicly to rebuild trust between government and communities through transparent communication and engagement.
The Office of Public Safety in Philadelphia stands as a cornerstone institution dedicated to safeguarding the city and enhancing the quality of life for its residents. By centralizing leadership and coordination of critical safety functions, the office ensures that Philadelphia’s public safety efforts are efficient, well-resourced, and responsive to modern challenges. The position of Chief Public Safety Director, currently held by Adam Geer, underscores the importance of experienced law enforcement and executive oversight in steering citywide safety programs.
The comprehensive scope of OPS, absorbing diverse offices focused on violence reduction, victim support, reentry partnerships, and crime prevention, illustrates Philadelphia’s progressive approach to public safety. This all-encompassing model ensures that public safety strategies not only address criminal activity but also prioritize prevention, rehabilitation, and community collaboration.
Philadelphia residents benefit from OPS’s integrated efforts, which seek to make neighborhoods safer while addressing the underlying social determinants of crime and disorder. The office’s ongoing work in coordinating across police, fire, health, and correctional agencies exemplifies a modern approach to urban safety that values both enforcement and community investment.
For Philadelphians interested in learning more, engaging with public safety programs, or accessing victim services, the Office of Public Safety remains an accessible, responsive resource. Its commitment to building safer communities through strategic partnerships, transparency, and innovation makes it a crucial part of Philadelphia’s government and its efforts to foster safer, stronger neighborhoods for all.