Prioritize safety
Peduto needs to stop blaming others and take action
In the war of words over public safety in Downtown Pittsburgh, the Peduto administration’s most frustrating weaknesses are on glaring display: its foot-dragging, its petulance, its deflection of responsibility and, perhaps worst, the preference for meetings ad nauseam and policy spit-balling over substantive action.
The conflict flared up July 10 when Pittsburgh Cultural Trust CEO Kevin McMahon sent a letter to Mayor Bill Peduto and dozens of community leaders decrying a “declining level of public safety” in the city’s Cultural District. In addition to a July 4 double shooting, he cited aggressive panhandling, disorderly youth, drunkenness, lewd behavior and open drug use — largely “unchecked by law enforcement.”
In an interview with the Post-Gazette on July 31 — three full weeks later —
Mr. Peduto blamed the federal government for these problems and characterized Mr. McMahon’s approach as “nothing short of Trumpesque.”
Well, unlike Donald Trump, Mr. Peduto actually was elected to represent Pittsburgh — to represent and protect the interests of all its citizens.
The problems Mr. McMahon highlighted are no secret to anyone who frequents our Downtown concert halls, theaters, churches and restaurants. Distasteful and dangerous activities have increased rapidly and, as he said, do indeed threaten to undo 35 years of civic achievement.
The broad brush and defensive meanness of the mayor’s response are therefore quite disappointing. He is right in asserting it is not a crime to be homeless, addicted or mentally ill. It is, however, a crime to urinate, defecate, use drugs, harass passersby, brawl or have sex in public — all activities committed daily in plain view Downtown and without adequate, or any, intervention by police.
Mr. Peduto said he would not meet with Mr. McMahon due to the letter’s wide circulation: “If I were to enable that type of behavior … others would use the same amateurish tactic.”
As if these problems could be solved with one meeting, and after such a swipe.
We know the Peduto administration is working with the county and many nonprofits to address problems that exist nationwide and have been decades in the making. Until those new policies are in place, however, the mayor should insist the police intervene (with compassion and consideration where appropriate) to curtail and prevent destructive criminal activity.
The police department is well staffed, but it must be effectively deployed. Something is clearly wrong when the Cultural Trust alone has to spend $1 million a year on additional security.
We expect the mayor to cut the nonsense, set a constructive tone and lead the way.