Police staffing shortage at tipping point (Pittsburgh, Erie: credit, college, salary)

[erieguy]

Man shot in the chest in East McKeesport

https://www.wtae.com/amp/article/man...sport/42791799

Man dies after shooting in Pittsburgh's Allentown neighborhood

https://www.wtae.com/amp/article/pit...ation/42794195

[tyovan4]

Beth Pittinger, who leads the city’s Citizens Police Review Board, ... acknowledged that officers she has spoken to are “exhausted” from working extra hours to make up for the depleted numbers, but pointed out that there is no set number the city uses to determine when there’s a staffing problem.

...

Pittsburgh Fraternal Order of Police President Bob Swartzwelder also questioned why the county is assisting only in Downtown.
Swartzwelder, who is pushing officials to bolster the police department’s numbers, said there is no emergency presenting itself in Downtown that would warrant county police stepping in to patrol the area.
...
The police union, he said, is considering filing a grievance or unfair labor practice claim against the city for using county officers in an area the city’s police bureau is meant to patrol.

“The city is now subcontracting bargaining unit work where we have primary jurisdiction,” Swartzwelder said.

https://triblive.com/community/murry...7bf19c6125b9d/

It seems the staffing woes are going to continue to compound... police are exhausted, so more are going to leave, so the remaining ones will be exhausted further, so more will leave.. on and on.

Swartzwelder seems like a real piece of work. In the instance of policing downtown, he really could seem to give two craps about public safety, or the economic/cultural impacts of the perception of the lack of public safety downtown..

I certainly understand why police feel the need for an organization to protect them from clowns like Zappala or Peduto - politicians who would not blink twice at publicly crucifying an officer and ruining his life in order to score cheap political points with the masses. But it also seems as if the biggest impediment to making law & order work better for everyone in this country is the obstinance of the the Fraternal Order of Police.

[SteelCityRising]

If officers are pulled from Zone 1 (my area) to patrol Downtown, then who is replacing those yanked from Zone 1? I wish Mayor Gainey could answer that, but neither he nor his spokesperson like to talk to the media, apparently.

[erieguy]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

If officers are pulled from Zone 1 (my area) to patrol Downtown, then who is replacing those yanked from Zone 1? I wish Mayor Gainey could answer that, but neither he nor his spokesperson like to talk to the media, apparently.

Sounds like there will be less police in zone 1. Perhaps he heard bystanders are barely ever involved and there’s nothing to be scared of if you mind your own business.

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by erieguy

Sounds like there will be less police in zone 1. Perhaps he heard bystanders are barely ever involved and there’s nothing to be scared of if you mind your own business.

You're right. It's better for the law-abiding folks of the North Side to start narcing on the dealers and gang members who provide no value to society. No retaliatory harm could possibly befall North Side snitches.

[erieguy]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

You're right. It's better for the law-abiding folks of the North Side to start narcing on the dealers and gang members who provide no value to society. No retaliatory harm could possibly befall North Side snitches.

Except that has nothing to do with my post. You said bystanders are barely ever involved and you don’t feel unsafe because you keep your head down and mind your own business. Since that’s the case less police shouldn’t be an issue. What’s all of a sudden changed?

[erieguy]

How very sad

15-year-old identified as victim in deadly shooting in city’s Allentown neighborhood

https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/pers...edium=news_tab

[svband76]

All in city government should be enraged. Put an end to it now. Hardworking people have some great businesses in the area and it's really starting to turn around. This lazy attitude toward youth and guns is puzzling.

[guy2073]

Originally Posted by svband76

All in city government should be enraged. Put an end to it now. Hardworking people have some great businesses in the area and it's really starting to turn around. This lazy attitude toward youth and guns is puzzling.

It is only going to get worse. Unfortunately the city doesn't seem to care. I see how people post that the city is traumatized but nothing is being done. Other than killing someone a child in the city will not be punished. If they do kill someone what percentage of murders are solved in pittsburgh? How many applications is the city getting to the police academy? The city should stop letting officers work side jobs, if they want extra money they can work overtime. Why should the city go without officers while nightclubs get city bouncers.

[guy2073]

https://www.cbsnews.com/pittsburgh/n...s-examination/