Defunding the police manifested in a major way for one Pennsylvania city as new moves were described as “basically a nightly purge scenario.”
“Buy guns. Buy ammo.”
The two-fold problem of anti-police sentiment and fund management has resulted in downsized law enforcement agencies across the county as fewer people seek fewer positions. In Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, staffing shortages are being met with new policies that include only responding to “in-progress emergencies.”
Libs of TikTok highlighted a report on the decision that went into effect in late February and noted, “Pittsburgh police will no longer respond to certain calls including theft, harassment, criminal mischief, and burglary alarms.”
“Between 3AM-7AM there will be no officers at any police stations,” the account added. “Buy guns. Buy ammo. The police will not protect you.”
Pittsburgh police will no longer respond to certain calls including theft, harassment, criminal mischief, and burglary alarms.
Between 3AM-7AM there will be no officers at any police stations.
Buy guns. Buy ammo.
The police will not protect you. pic.twitter.com/ZoQbkREQUs
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) March 10, 2024
According to reporting from WPXI, the city had installed call boxes linked to 911 to facilitate reporting incidents as no desk officer would be present at six zone stations across Pittsburgh during the overnight hours of 3 a.m. to 7 a.m. Some of those shifts would see as few as 22 officers responsible for covering the entire city.
“There is not any data to support us having our zones manned by personnel from 3 am to 7 am. For the very one-off instance I can’t make an exception,” said Pittsburgh Police Chief Larry Scirotto who had remarked at a press conference that only 8% of calls occur overnight but 33% of the force was being allocated to those hours.
Worth noting, Scirotto had previously been the police chief of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and was fired in March 2022 after six months on the job over allegations that he had discriminated in promoting officers, giving preferential treatment to minorities.
Prior to his stint in Florida, the biracial and openly gay official had served as the assistant police chief in Pittsburgh.
Responding to the moves, Pittsburgh Police Officers’ Union President Bob Swartzwelder said in a statement, “The staffing plan designed by police command is a direct response to a seriously understaffed police department. Only time will tell if the plan works or the Chief will need to pivot and modify his plan quickly.”
“The FOP will be watching carefully for any contract violations that develop especially when non-emergency events come up such as St. Patrick’s Day, parades, large concerts, July 4th, etc,” continued the union official. “In short, FOP believes that the police department is seriously over-committed and under-resourced.”
“When it comes to harassment and things of this nature, you better have a police officer there. That’s what the public expects. That’s what I expect out of our city,” Councilman Anthony Coghill (D) told WPXI.
As 24 new officers were sworn in Wednesday bringing the size of the force up to 764 officers, Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala expressed, “To tell people that you’re not gonna be protected at certain hours of the day — that doesn’t make any sense to me when I heard it. Is there any other large city in the country that has a part-time police department? Does that make any sense to any of you guys? It doesn’t to me.”
While Scirotto noted his goal was to attain a force of 850 officers and that he intended to add more on-duty officers to overnight shifts during the summer months, he defended the decisions, stating, “We’re not a part-time police department by any stretch of the imagination. At the end of the day, we have more officers out there than we’ve ever had in the periods that are the busiest and that’s from 2 p.m. to 2 a.m. We’re always going to be concerned. It’s something we haven’t done before, so I understand the unease.”
Still, reactions were wholly concerned with how criminal elements might respond to the changes with even billionaire Elon Musk wondering, “So they will only respond to extreme violence?”
So they will only respond to extreme violence?
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 10, 2024
That’s basically a nightly purge scenario
— Ric Ya (@_Ric_Ya) March 10, 2024
Liberals: You don’t need guns! The police will protect you!
Also liberals: Defund the police!
— John Hawkins (@johnhawkinsrwn) March 10, 2024
It used to be
When you need help immediately the police are minutes away
Now
When you need help immediately
Help yourself
Buy guns & ammo
& train— Jim Hanson (@JimHansonDC) March 10, 2024
Imagine being a criminal there and they’re just giving you the keys to the city.
Operate between 3 and 7 with masks, cause distraction A, distraction B, move on C.
Not enough units to cover them all. Free for all.
— Benjamin Way (@BWay124) March 10, 2024
Calling all rapists, carjackers, pickpockets, shoplifters, etc. do your thing between 3am – 7am because Pittsburgh has turned into another liberal shithole run by Democrats that could care less about their citizens. Keep voting Dems & you’ll make your bed, lie in it, & die in it
— America First Patriot Living In NEWSOM SHITHOLE (@DoTheRightWing) March 10, 2024
Meanwhile in Florida, we just enhanced the penalties for retail theft and porch pirates….
— Andrea Gainey (@AndreaGainey) March 10, 2024
Native of Brooklyn, NY, Kevin Haggerty is a graduate of Hunter College where he studied Cultural Anthropology and Geography. An avid reader and truth seeker, he currently resides in Texas with his wife and their dog and, when he isn't researching current events and their impacts, you'll find him spending time with friends and family or working on his next novel.
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