How to Really Run a City

On the third and final installment of our conversation with legendary Police Commissioner Charles H. Ramsey, our co-hosts hit him with the questions about policing we all have on our minds: What separates good technology from dangerous tech? What role can data play? And has the power of police unions gone too far?

If you missed parts I and II of this timely conversation, be sure to check them out. Then, like, share, and subscribe, so that you don't miss a single episode!

Legendary Police Commissioner Charles H. Ramsey -- who served in Chicago, Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia, where he oversaw a 28 percent drop in homicides -- returns for a powerful conversation about public safety, and how keeping cities safe is a job that goes beyond fire and police departments. 

For more great solutions stories, subscribe to this podcast and check out The Philadelphia Citizen.

We heard from the best of 'em this year. From thought-provoking policy proposals to gut-busting anecdotes, check out host Larry Platt's hand-selected highlights in this special end-of-the-year edition. Then catch up on any episodes you might have missed to get more of former Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, former Philly Mayor Michael Nutter and the civic leaders that really shape our lives. Be sure to subscribe so you don't miss a single episode in 2024.

When former Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles H. Ramsey joined us at our most recent Ideas We Should Steal Festival for a live taping of The Citizen’s How to Really Run a City podcast, the crowd expected Ramsey to address just how, under the leadership of then-Mayor Michael Nutter, he oversaw a record low crime rate.

Ramsey, after all, has more than 50 years of law enforcement knowledge and service. He co-chaired President Obama’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing. He’s currently the Principal Deputy Monitor for the Federal Consent Decrees in Baltimore and Cleveland, a law enforcement analyst for CNN, and a Distinguished Policy Fellow at the University of Pennsylvania School of Law.

So in this episode, Ramsey and co-hosts Nutter, Kasim Reed, and Larry Platt lean into the tough questions: How much of a police chief’s job is about reversing public opinion? What’s the secret to making citizens feel safe in all corners of their city? And what’s the most important trait any Mayor should look for when hiring a police chief? (Hint: It’s not shooting accuracy.)

Over the course of the rollicking episode, the hosts addressed these questions and more. And because you asked for it, Commissioner Ramsey agreed to join the podcast again in a few weeks, to answer the many questions we didn’t have time for the first go around.

So, buckle in for Part 1 here, then stay tuned for Part 2 of How to Really Run a City with Commissioner Charles H. Ramsey. We’re excited to bring you both episodes of this meaningful conversation, because if we really want cities to thrive, first we have to make them safe. And if anyone can unlock the secrets for doing so, it’s Ramsey.

Toyota, Motorola, FedEx — as different as their products may be, they share at least one secret ingredient: an investment in training their employees to become leaders, and to learn critical, creative problem-solving skills.

Why, then, doesn’t the public sector invest as deeply in supporting the evolution and advancement of its workforce? 

This episode welcomes Brian Elms, the CEO and Founder of Change Agents Training, which focuses on creating employee-driven innovation programs around the country. Brian Elms revolutionizes the way governments deliver services, and now is sharing the secret to better customer service in cities.

Subscribe to get notified of new episodes every other week from The Philadelphia Citizen.

In the latest installment of How to Really Run a City, Kathryn Wylde, CEO of Partnership for New York, shares the secrets to – and power of –  harnessing cities’ business communities.

On this episode, Tech expert/author Jennifer Pahlka and Little Rock, AR, Mayor Frank Scott Jr., caution those in power that leadership is about more than having great ideas. Learn how to provide those who are tasked with executing policy with the right training, tools, or decision-making power to make it happen. 

Within the first six months of her term, L.A. Mayor Karen Bass has faced the Hollywood writers’ and actors’ strike and the teachers’ strike. She moved more than 14,000 unhoused Angelenos inside, relocating people from encampment tents into motels.

She’s also taken the helm of the city’s Metro system, and she pledges to make the 2028 Olympics car-free.  How has she been so productive – and remained so passionate? To find out, listen to the latest episode.

“You know about the handshake, right?” Mayor Michael Nutter says. “You gotta get up in that web. You gotta own the handshake.” Mayor Kasim Reed agrees, saying that Nutter once also taught him an ancillary move: One hand on the shoulder while the other clasps the hand. 

Get insider tips, like the anatomy of the mayoral handshake, from these former two-term mayors. They also compare notes on how to lead with swagger, and on the mentors who convinced them they really could lead their respective cities. 

Your hosts then welcome current third-term D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser who shares what it takes to navigate the many obstacles to smart policy and governing in a city that is also (effectively) a county and state — and how she keeps focused on her goal of fueling economic prosperity without leaving anyone behind.

Love the insider secrets to local leadership? Sign up for The Citizen newsletter to get updates on new episode drops and more civic inspiration.

Alarmingly, in a city that is 44 percent Black, Black-owned businesses with payroll represent less than 3 percent of the businesses in our ecosystem. This episode has our hosts sit down with Newark, NJ, Mayor Ras Baraka and Nowak Metro Finance Lab’s Bruce Katz – two experts who have a litany of solutions to address one of the most pressing issues of our time: creating and supporting the success of Black businesses.

Sign up to keep up with The Philadelphia Citizen's Black business spotlights.

For all of the seeming division in our country, there really are leaders who are committed to bringing people together to achieve real change. Helming that charge? Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt, an anti-Trump, tax-increasing Republican who joined this episode of the podcast. Whatever political party you ascribe to, meeting in the middle may be easier than you think.

Sign up to stay informed on balanced solutions to city problems at The Philadelphia Citizen.

In this episode, Nutter, Reed and Platt turned to one of the architects behind Oakland’s 50 percent reduction in gun violence over seven years: David Muhammad, Executive Director of the National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform. Gun violence has taken a toll in cities across America. Muhammad’s game plan will leave you with a sense that this problem is one thing: solvable.

Find more solutions at The Philadelphia Citizen.

Did you know that changing the color of roads could lower their temperature by more than 10 degrees? Or that strategically planting trees could lower air temperature by up to 40 degrees? Neither did we, until we heard this episode, featuring Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego. Learn the ways she has made her city’s focus on sustainability pay off for its citizens. Don’t miss an episode release: Subscribe now!

There’s a secret leadership skill you can’t gain from a Harvard MBA or Stanford education: It’s connecting with the people. In this episode, hosts Reed, Nutter, and Platt explore the power of relationship to make positive changes, then welcome Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf to share the replicable ways she’s made a difference in Oakland, CA, about problems ranging from gun violence to potholes.

Listen, subscribe, and spread the word! Visit The Philadelphia Citizen to find more solutions to city problems.

Tired of negative news and finger-pointing pundits? You’ve come to the right place! Each month, How to Really Run a City brings you solutions to cities’ problems, broken down by co-hosts Kasim Reed, former Mayor of Atlanta; Michael Nutter, former mayor of Philadelphia; Larry Platt, award-winning journalist and author; and a featured guest putting ideas to action across the country. Subscribe now to get notified when monthly episodes are released!

And if you like what you hear, get more at The Philadelphia Citizen.