Who knew that there would be a shortage of police?

Remember 9/11 and how we all valued the heroic efforts of the NYPD? Yes, it does feel like we were living in a different country. Or should I say the country that we grew up in or where we valued the importance of the men in blue.

Enter Pittsburgh, where they are facing a shortage of police officers. This is the story:

Last March, the Post-Gazette Editorial Board revealed that “the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police faces a staffing crisis unprecedented in its modern history.” Nearly a year later, that crisis has only deepened — at an even faster pace than predicted.

On the night of Monday, Feb. 26, the Editorial Board has learned, only 14 officers patrolled this city of 300,000 people.

City leaders including Mayor Ed Gainey and Chief Larry Scirotto have refused to be straightforward about the nature and extent of the crisis. Predictions of returning the force to something close to full staffing — previously 900, now 850 — were never honest or realistic. And the chief described last week’s draconian cutbacks to service as a new approach to law enforcement rather than what they are: a desperate attempt to maximize the impact of a rapidly dwindling corps.

Further, the officers who are retiring or resigning to take other jobs are generally among the most skilled. The result is a cascading decline in quality and morale. Nearly 200 officers are eligible to retire with full benefits in the coming months. Some expect at least 100 to exercise that option by midsummer.

Who knew that stabbing police officers in the back would discourage recruitment? It’s hard to do a difficult job when the political class doesn’t support you. Instead, they always side with the criminal, especially when the police officer is targeted by iPhones shown on TV indiscriminately.

As the article points out, this is not a Pittsburgh problem. In fact, nearly “…every urban police force in America is struggling to recruit and to retain officers”.

Pittsburgh has tried raising wages and making the job more appealing. However, the officers are not buying it. Why? This is not about money. This is about respect and honoring their work. Every man or woman who wears the uniform knows what’s going on. They’ve become the target of demagogues who play the race or victim card to promote their politics at the expense of safe streets.

Calling Governor Shapiro. Your cities are falling apart and you need to make a move.

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Image: ClearMaxim