Hispanic Heritage Month: Meet Philadelphia's first Latino Deputy Commissioner

PHILADELPHIA - 52-year-old Pedro Rosario made history in January when he was promoted to become the first Latino Deputy Police Commissioner in the City of Philadelphia. 

"It really caught me off-guard," said Rosario, not expecting the promotion. "In about 3 hours, I had almost 500 text messages."

These were messages of support from his brothers and sisters in blue as well as people in the communities he served.

"I felt the weight of the position. It wasn’t just about Pedro Rosario getting promoted.  It was about the Philadelphia Police Department elevating its first Latino Deputy Commissioner to our organization."

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It’s a big position with a big job to do. Rosario is tasked with improving the conditions in Kensington, a neighborhood notorious for its violence and drugs.

"Am I where I think we should be?" asked Rosario. "No, but I think we’re moving in the right direction, and it’s very exciting."

It’s a neighborhood the Fairmount native is very familiar with, having spent the majority of his career there. As a bilingual police officer, he was placed in the 25th police district after graduating from the Academy.

Rosario's wife is also a Philadelphia police officer, and the couple have two teenage daughters. His parents are from Puerto Rico.

"They always instilled in me the value of community value of service and giving back. In 1991, I became a 9-1-1 dispatcher for the Philadelphia Police Department. It kinda solidified what I wanted to do, I wanted to be part of something that was bigger than me."

And in Kensington, he is. 

Rosario told FOX 29 News, "over the last year to year-and-a-half that area led the city in biggest reduction of violence, the biggest reduction in shooting victims. We were number one before, we are no longer that."

Rosario says the department recently upgraded the neighborhood’s police mini station, which is now operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

More than ever, police in the area are working with community liaisons to help these neighbors in need.

"They’re finally feeling like their concerns are being heard.  Their concerns are being addressed," says Rosario.

Deputy Commissioner Rosario says his goal is to bring a sense of stability to the Kensington community and is committed to making a difference.