3rd Police District

3rd Police District is a division of the Philadelphia Police Department serving portions of South Philadelphia, including Point Breeze, Grays Ferry, Newbold, and surrounding neighborhoods. The district headquarters is located at 11th and Wharton Streets in South Philadelphia.

History

The 3rd Police District is one of the Philadelphia Police Department's geographic patrol divisions covering South Philadelphia west of Broad Street. The district's jurisdiction includes communities that have seen considerable demographic and economic change since the late twentieth century, as longtime working-class residents of South Philadelphia have been joined by newer arrivals drawn to the area's relative affordability and proximity to Center City. Policing strategies in the district have shifted over the decades to reflect those changes, with a growing emphasis on community-oriented approaches alongside traditional patrol functions.

Point Breeze in particular has been a focal point for community policing efforts. The neighborhood experienced elevated rates of violent crime in the early 2000s, and the district worked with community organizations and city agencies to address those conditions alongside longer-term economic revitalization in the area. It's a district that has had to balance competing pressures: the concerns of established residents about displacement and public safety, and the needs of a growing population of newer arrivals.

Coverage area

The 3rd Police District covers a contiguous section of South Philadelphia generally bounded by South Street to the north, the Schuylkill River to the west, and extending south and east through Point Breeze and Grays Ferry. The district's primary neighborhoods include Point Breeze, Grays Ferry, and Newbold. Residents can confirm whether a specific address falls within the 3rd District using the Philadelphia Police Department's online district locator tool at phillypolice.com.

Community programs

The 3rd Police District participates in several city-wide and district-level community engagement programs administered through the Philadelphia Police Department. These include town watch coordination, regular community meetings open to residents of Point Breeze and Grays Ferry, youth engagement initiatives, and neighborhood safety programs run in partnership with local civic associations. The district's community relations officers serve as the primary point of contact between residents and department leadership on non-emergency concerns.

See also

• Philadelphia Police Department
• Point Breeze, Philadelphia
• Grays Ferry, Philadelphia
• Pennsylvania's 3rd congressional district