WHEREAS, Police Commissioner Sylvester M. Johnson joined the Philadelphia Police Department in 1964. During the course of his long and distinguished career, he served in a wide variety of assignments. Nationally recognized as an expert in the field of hostage negotiation, Johnson is credited with formalizing the Hostage Negotiation Team concept in Philadelphia; and
WHEREAS, Police Commissioner Sylvester M. Johnson became the 13th Police Commissioner of the City of Philadelphia on January 4, 2002. At the time of his appointment, Police Commissioner Johnson was Deputy Commissioner of Operations, the second highest-ranking officer in the Department with responsibility for all front-line police operations including the Patrol, Detective, Narcotics, Special Patrol, Civil Affairs, Emergency Response, and Command Inspections Bureaus. He had been appointed to that post in April 1998 by Police Commissioner John F. Timoney and was Timoney's principal advisor and operational commander throughout his period as Police Commissioner; and
WHEREAS, In 2001, Police Commissioner Sylvester M. Johnson received two prestigious awards recognizing his outstanding contribution to policing in Philadelphia. These were the George Fencl Award presented annually by the Philadelphia Daily News for "dedication, civic commitment, fairness and respect for the rule of law" and the Director's Award of the US Department of Justice Executive Office for the Weed & Seed Program; and
WHEREAS, Throughout his notable career, he has been awarded over thirty departmental commendations, including the prestigious Award of Valor. He is also the recipient of numerous community service and humanitarian awards; and
WHEREAS, Police Commissioner Sylvester M. Johnson attended Philadelphia Community College, Temple University, the Senior Management Institute for Police at Harvard University, Pennwalt Corporation's Targeted Management Training, the United States Secret Service Dignitary Protection Training, the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) National Academy Class 172, and the FBI National Executive Institute; and
WHEREAS, Police Commissioner Sylvester M. Johnson’s commitment to community service extends far beyond his professional life as a police officer. He has always been an active participant in community activities, especially those that further the positive development of youth. While commander of the Headquarters Investigations Unit (HIU) located in the Hunting Park section of Philadelphia, he recognized the need for guidance and hope for the children of the local Thomas Mifflin School. With this in mind, he arranged for the HIU to adopt the school and encouraged his officers to provide counseling and direction to the many students who lived in a neighborhood plagued by drugs and crime; now therefore
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That we hereby honor and commend Police Commissioner Sylvester M. Johnson for Forty-Three (43) Years in service to the citizens of Philadelphia, his "dedication, civic commitment, fairness and respect for the rule of law" and his lifelong commitment to the positive development of youth.
FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to Police Commissioner Sylvester M. Johnson as evidence of the sincere sentiments of this legislative body.
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