Officer Henry Simmons

by Peter Elliott

On Friday, March 15, Henry Simmons, 57, worked his last day for the 14th Police District of the Philadelphia Police Department. A longtime Philadelphia resident, Simmons had spent decades protecting the local communities.

“It’s been something that I’ve done for so many years, and I was always proud to do it,” he said.

Simmons grew up in South Philadelphia, but moved to Mt. Airy when he began studying at Temple University in 1978. While at Temple, Simmons moved into an apartment with his two brothers, who would inspire him to become a Philadelphia police officer.

“Both of my brothers were police officers … I looked up to my brothers,” Simmons said.

His education would take a backseat, however, as his family grew and his job as a Philadelphia police officer began.

“What happened was that I graduated high school and started Temple,” Simmons said. “I was a few credits short, got a job, had a child and eventually got into the police force.”

Simmons originally started working as a police officer in 1986. Over the course of 32 years, he would serve to protect people in Philadelphia’s 14th Police District. The district covers a large portion of Northwest Philadelphia, from Chestnut Hill to Broad Street and beyond.

“There’s always been a city of neighborhoods,” Simmons said. “It’s been a big melting pot. Not everything works perfectly, but things get better.”

Reflecting on his time as a police officer, Simmons found that his most interesting and memorable experiences were being called while off duty.

“Of course, there are a lot of moments that I wore plain clothes,” Simmons said. “ the people I’ve worked with … you fall into so many different situations not in uniform. There are a lot of moments that keep you excited.”

Although people have come and gone, Simmons believes that the attitudes of people he meets have remained unchanged over the course of his career. One aspect of his job that did rapidly change, however, was how technology was evolved and was adapted for police usage.

“You have computers in your cars, and you can print out traffic tickets,” Simmons said. “Technology has been a big boost to the police department.”

While he has enjoyed working on the police force for all these years, Simmons felt that the time was right to step back and let younger officers take the reins of protecting the citizens of Philadelphia. He also says that he is looking forward to his retirement and what it may bring.

“I plan to relax, but I can’t watch TV all the time,” he said. “Maybe I’ll start a business, but I can’t just sit around.”

Most of all, Simmons feels that he is most proud of being able to serve both his community and his home in making Philadelphia a safer place.

“The object of the job is to get home safe, and that’s what I’ve done,” Simmons said. “If that’s success, then I’ve succeeded. I’m thankful for God for protecting me all these years. It’s been something that I’ve done for so many years, and I was always proud to do it. I had a good run.”

Peter Elliott is an intern. He studies journalism at La Salle University.