Kevin Bethel currently serves as the Chief of School Safety at the School District of Philadelphia, where he oversees the implementation of District-wide school safety best practices.
Previously, Kevin served as a Stoneleigh Fellow working to expand implementation of the successful Philadelphia Police School Diversion Program locally, statewide, and nationally. He also launched the Law Enforcement Juvenile Justice Institute, which provides services and support to local government institutions to implement rehabilitative, trauma-informed, and equitable youth practices. In addition, Kevin was a Senior Policy Advisor for the Juvenile Justice Research and Reform Lab at Drexel University.
Prior to this, Kevin served in the Philadelphia Police Department for 29 years. In his role as Deputy Police Commissioner, he was responsible for Patrol Operations for the entire city. He created a number of several successful programs and was instrumental in the development and implementation of the Police Commissioner’s Crime Strategy for the City. Throughout his career, Kevin has deliberately pursued work in the youth justice field, including serving on national, statewide, and local committees and advisory boards; regularly lecturing on school diversion and racial and ethnic disparities at the Center for Juvenile Justice Reform at Georgetown University; and serving as a faculty member for the International Association of Chiefs of Police Juvenile Justice Leadership Institute. He is a nationally recognized leader in community and trauma-informed policing.
Kevin holds a BS in criminal justice from Chestnut Hill College and an MS in public safety management from St. Joseph’s University.