public safety and police presence (Philadelphia, Pittsburgh: loft, how much, neighborhood)

[The King of Um]

Pittsburgh police are engaged with the people; you just have to have the right attitude about them. I think a lot of people who gripe about how awful police-community relations are, are those who have negative attitudes regarding the law and law enforcement. Many are probably criminals themselves.

I've had to call the police several times since I've lived here (gun shots heard in the neighborhood quite a few times, attempted robbery by a teen, house out of which drugs were sold), and each time, they've responded quickly and professionally. The police have helped me when I've needed them, so I'm grateful. However, I've talked with police officers, and they tell me that there aren't enough of them to handle the amount of crime which occurs in the city on a daily basis. A strong police presence is needed. These hoodlums need to know that if they try anything from selling narcotics, to burglarizing someone's home, to taking a shot at a rival, to robbing and murdering an innocent person in her basement, they're going to get caught and end up in the slammer.

[Buckeye Burgher]

Originally Posted by art harris

good morning,i wanted to make a small comment on what i see is the lack of concern with public safety in the city,i,m in town quite alot and i see,on a regular basis,people stoned on drugs,harassing shoppers and people just trying to enjoy the downtown corridor,to me,this poses a major problem and i,m sure others see this but my question is why are we not discussing this?,why is there no viable plan in place to make downtown and the city as a whole safer for people who simply want to enjoy themselves?.
[/mod]

Pittsburgh is a sizeable city. You will find this identical situation in nearly any other
large city. And there are Constitutional rights and protections which limit how aggressive
police are able to be in dealing with the problem.

[JoeP]

Pittsburgh is a sizeable city. You will find this identical situation in nearly any other
large city. And there are Constitutional rights and protections which limit how aggressive
police are able to be in dealing with the problem.

Exactly.

[Uptown kid]

Originally Posted by The King of Um

Pittsburgh police are engaged with the people; you just have to have the right attitude about them. I think a lot of people who gripe about how awful police-community relations are, are those who have negative attitudes regarding the law and law enforcement. Many are probably criminals themselves.

I've had to call the police several times since I've lived here (gun shots heard in the neighborhood quite a few times, attempted robbery by a teen, house out of which drugs were sold), and each time, they've responded quickly and professionally. The police have helped me when I've needed them, so I'm grateful. However, I've talked with police officers, and they tell me that there aren't enough of them to handle the amount of crime which occurs in the city on a daily basis. A strong police presence is needed. These hoodlums need to know that if they try anything from selling narcotics, to burglarizing someone's home, to taking a shot at a rival, to robbing and murdering an innocent person in her basement, they're going to get caught and end up in the slammer.

What neighborhood do you live if you don't mind me asking.

[The King of Um]

Originally Posted by Uptown kid

What neighborhood do you live if you don't mind me asking.

North Side: first Spring Hill, and now West Deutschtown (East Allegheny).

[zip95]

I think Pittsburgh is actually behind in this regard. In the 80's the Eastern seaboard cities had terrible downtown sections. Then, there was an East Coast push to clean up the city centers. It has actually been relatively successful at attracting business and residents back to their respective downtowns. For example NY has a few cops on every corner in Manhatten... It seems to work.

[Uptown kid]

Originally Posted by zip95

I think Pittsburgh is actually behind in this regard. In the 80's the Eastern seaboard cities had terrible downtown sections. Then, there was an East Coast push to clean up the city centers. It has actually been relatively successful at attracting business and residents back to their respective downtowns. For example NY has a few cops on every corner in Manhatten... It seems to work.

Good point.

[gg]

Originally Posted by zip95

I think Pittsburgh is actually behind in this regard. In the 80's the Eastern seaboard cities had terrible downtown sections. Then, there was an East Coast push to clean up the city centers. It has actually been relatively successful at attracting business and residents back to their respective downtowns. For example NY has a few cops on every corner in Manhatten... It seems to work.

The reason cities are improving has NOTHING to do with the police. It has everything to do with gentrification. The trouble makers are being pushed out. The police are the same as ever. Don't over look the people! It is like saying the idiot security at airports is working great. Try and hold up a plane with a box cutter right now in the US. I don't think it would work very well. The people adapt and things are changing in cities. It ISN'T the police, it is the citizens that are making the difference. Police are overrated, IMHO. Sure we need them, but we don't need more than we have now. They do a good job and have a sort of tough job sometimes, but it really grinds my gears if people overlook the residents of the city. It really is them that makes the difference. What about that idiot bomber in Boston. Who found him? Yep, a resident. Of course the police took the credit, but they didn't find squat. The power is the people and always should be.

[FreightTrainRunning]

As someone who moved back to the city proper in the last decade, I was amazed at how little crime I encountered compared to the nineties. I've had to call 911 three times in seven years and two of those were not really crimes. One was a traffic issue and the other was drunken college students.

The only real crime we've really had to deal with was when our car got broken into in a city lot in Squirrel Hill last year. We've had very few problems over here on the "scary" North Side.

[steindle]

Originally Posted by zip95

I think Pittsburgh is actually behind in this regard. In the 80's the Eastern seaboard cities had terrible downtown sections. Then, there was an East Coast push to clean up the city centers. It has actually been relatively successful at attracting business and residents back to their respective downtowns. For example NY has a few cops on every corner in Manhatten... It seems to work.

Yes, nothing at all like Pittsburgh -- Liberty Ave is still a bunch of porn shops and prostitutes and no one has moved Downtown in the last ten years.