Tom Ferrick Jr.

Metropolis: Columns by Tom Ferrick Jr.

Tom Ferrick Jr. took part in the Great Expectations project from December 2006 through February 2008. During that time, he won the Hal Hovey Award, presented by Governing magazine and Stateline.org for outstanding journalistic coverage of state and local government. The award cites his "insightful coverage of Philadelphia's historic 2007 mayoral election."

Policing alone won't solve the crime problem

Stripped to its essentials, the anticrime effort announced last week by the Nutter administration amounts to a redeployment of about 200 officers to a dozen high-crime districts. It makes sense - putting officers where the crime is - but it's hardly rocket science. As new Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey pretty much said, it's not Batman and Robin suddenly emerging from the Batcave, it is basic policing.

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Jan. 27, 2008:
Plunging stocks, decreasing revenue and fixed costs could knock the city for a loop

Jan. 6:
Why the unions won't share

Dec. 30, 2007:
Pa.'s can-do governor, at odds with his evil twin

Dec. 23:
Maybe it was something I said

Dec. 16:
Casinos won't ruin Philadelphia

Nov. 18:
Deal these folks out

Nov. 8:
The land that time, and good sense, forgot

Nov. 4:
Nutter: A Time for Hope

Oct. 30:
A lot is riding on SEPTA cash

Oct. 21:
Analyses of violence are light on the whys

Oct. 14:
City is sinking under the weight of benefits

Oct. 7:
Safer schools? Stop coddling the violent students

Sept. 30:
Making the city better with less

Sept. 23:
The truth behind the surge in police in Philadelphia

Sept. 17:
Moving Philadephia forward

Sept. 9:
The value in stupendous political failure

July 22:
Let's help civic groups join forces to increase their clout at City Hall

July 15:
iPhones: The costs of our gadget addiction

July 1:
Philly's frumpy political ways need a makeover

June 24:
Sifting the pile of money spent in the primary

June 10:
Schools' new math: Digging out of deficit

June 3:
Give Vallas credit, and the lion's share of blame

May 17:
Nutter should spent next six months working for a mandate

May 13:
A mayoral election rich with hope for change

May 6:
Keep an eye on your second choice

April 29:
When wishes are nickels

April 22:
Imagining

April 15:
It's Fattah or Knox

April 8:
Let's assign trained police to the schools

April 1:
It's all about the money

March 25:
The problem in diggin up the root causes

March 18:
He's heavy, my brother

March 11:
Clear the air on violence

March 4:
Bring back customer service

Feb. 25:
The weight of worker benefits could sink even a frugal agenda

Feb. 18:
The early wagering in the race for mayor

Feb. 4:
Add police? Crunch the numbers

Jan. 28:
A real city and loved because of that

Jan. 7:
What we need, and don't need, in the city's next mayor