Mayor Taking Steps to Combat Flash Mobs

On Monday Mayor Michael Nutter announced the creation of an integrated, coordinated response to recent "flash mob" incidents in the city.

According a release the response team will be made up for representatives from the police department, district attorney's office, the law department, the department of human services, the city's youth commission, city officials, business owners and community members.

The coordinated response, that will be announced next week will, according to a release, "consider enforcement options, prosecution, social response as well as counseling and neighborhood outreach."

"We do not tolerate violence by any individual in our city and we will continue to respond with the full force of our city's justice system to kids who disrespect the city," Nutter said in a release. “These troubled young people are only a small percentage of our city’s youth; yet, their impulsive actions impact all of our citizens."

He continued stated that, "we need parents to know where their kids are every night. We need mentors to reach out into their communities and work with young people. We need the police department to be a continually visible presence on our streets. We need the District Attorney’s Office and the courts to prosecute these offenders and make it clear that this behavior has very serious consequences. We need this to happen in a coordinated effort."

The mayor said he is also hoping that new initiatives such as , an online initiative that allows residents and businesses to register their security cameras with the city, will also ensure that criminals are quickly apprehended.

“I am bringing together all the parties in the city who work with young people and who can have a real impact on stopping these senseless acts of violence," Nutter continued in the release. "Our approach will be led by a need to quickly apprehend offenders and to prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law while also considering long-term solutions that will include reaching out through the community.”