Fitzgerald offers county police support to help address Downtown Pittsburgh safety concerns (Mars: neighborhood, college)

[erieguy]

Big Ed isn’t doing anything and his plan for peace, if it even exists, isn’t producing, so perhaps Fitzgerald offering county police help will spark action to do something

Fitzgerald offers county police support to help address Downtown Pittsburgh safety concerns

https://www.post-gazette.com/news/cr...s/202301300084

[412Burgh]

Wait, I thought the riots were to defund the police and let unarmed social workers fix everything???

[tyovan4]

Will they be allowed to actually enforce laws, or will they go down there with their hands tied simply to be window-dressing?

[erieguy]

Originally Posted by tyovan4

Will they be allowed to actually enforce laws, or will they go down there with their hands tied simply to be window-dressing?

Tough call, though it shows Big Ed is weak and has no idea what he’s doing when it comes to dealing with the problem. Gotta wonder how many county police officers are going to want to take part in dealing with the dregs of the city and help clean up Big Ed’s incompetence.

[gg]

Originally Posted by tyovan4

Will they be allowed to actually enforce laws, or will they go down there with their hands tied simply to be window-dressing?

There was just an "offer" made. I don't think it will be accepted.

Sure is a beautiful day with the nice snow on the branches. So much better than rain and mud.

[wpipkins2]

Originally Posted by 412Burgh

Wait, I thought the riots were to defund the police and let unarmed social workers fix everything???

You are confused. Not one of my neighbors called for this. I don’t know anyone that called for this except political activists. These activists are not actual community members or neighbors.

[Reggiezz]

Why does the County have enough money to do this? Lower my taxes instead.

[erieguy]

Originally Posted by Reggiezz

Why does the County have enough money to do this? Lower my taxes instead.

Should make the city pay for it should it come to fruition. Consequences of voting for a mayor that it’s getting worse under with no signs of it getting better anytime soon.

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by wpipkins2

You are confused. Not one of my neighbors called for this. I don’t know anyone that called for this except political activists. These activists are not actual community members or neighbors.

Correct. I live in a rough neighborhood with frequent gunfire. At worst most of my neighbors are indifferent/ambivalent towards the police, but I have only spoken with a couple (ironically both college-educated white "progressives") who don't want to see the police patrolling our neighborhood because they find it to be "traumatic".

When I'm picking up litter I feel safe if I see a police car driving by on Marshall or Brighton or Shadeland or Woodland once in a while. I have seen less of a patrol presence than I used to, so the mayor's plan of "stealth defunding" (i.e. keep the budget for the police the same on paper but refuse to hire anyone to replace the exodus of existing officers) does appear to be working, at least for Zone 1 police.

[szug-bot]

the regularity of violence and mayhem might be something we hadnt seen ever. i am thinking of anything in history that could compare (to REGULARITY OF FREQUENCY, not sheer numbers of killed), and nothing comes to mind. even the revolutionary war affected this region as far as personal safety.

we have way fewer cops than needed. a lot of them are probably pushed to the limit and have ulcers by now, what with the urban culture and the cesspool of insolence and cop-hating its become.

i hate downtown and am so glad i dont have to go down there anymore. is there anything pleasant anymore? maybe im getting old, but even 10 years ago or less i at least tried to enjoy it, and at times taking in the beautiful old buildings and their facades. lunch was sometimes fun when you'd see the same person working at that Primanti's (closed) or elsewhere. usually it would have been a long timer. well, that generation has moved on and you arent getting old skool pittsburghers at the counter anymore, smiling and being all yinzer and friendly.

its just a total drag being downtown and the loudness of people there. youve worked all day, you need to decompress, so you wait for a bus with garbage, someone blowing cigar smoke in the air, and loud kids and people who smell.

oh yeah...and now gun shots mid-day, while thankfully is not the norm, is not a preposterous notion, either.