In light of the recent spate of news and commentary regarding the professional performance, ethical consistency and supervisory duties of our Chief of Police, Nathaniel Harper and the continued "confidence" of our Mayor in "his" chief, I present a hypothetical scenario sent to me from an anonymous commenter by email under cover of a pseudonym - this person directly echoed my own thoughts:
"Imagine if the police were in a rush to leave Ka'Sandra Wade's place because they needed to get off-duty on schedule, without getting hung up -- so they could get to their second job, working security at a SouthSide bar."
No, as the commenter was careful to make clear, that suggestion was not a tip-off from a whistleblower within the Pittsburgh police force. It's a rational extrapolation based on well documented, prevailing patterns of institutionally supported moonlighting. It's a bitter guess based on the evident exploitation of the powers vested in our public police force to satisfy private profit motives. I'm willing to bet that email is only one example of many such darkly cynical speculations that express common erosions of public confidence when bad examples are rewarded within power structures that have been entrusted with deadly force to "protect and serve."
So, has anyone noticed that Tonya Montgomery-Ford does not live in the city, but as reported in gthe Post-Gazette this AM, lives with her husband, also a Pittsburgh Police officer, in Homestead.
ReplyDeleteI was under the impression that it was required that Pittsburgh Police live in the city.
"Officer Montgomery-Ford's New Homestead residence, which has a Homestead mailing address. She lives there with her husband, Pittsburgh police Detective Dale Ford."
ReplyDeleteNew Homestead is one Pittsburgh's 90 neighborhoods. The ZIPCode is 15120, which is the Homestead Post Office, but plenty of people live in City neighborhoods that happen to have suburban ZipCodes.
The USPS uses different catchment areas for their zipcode regions than the City's subdivision boundary.
Never fear - when Peduto is Mayor, the city residency requirement will waived, he'll catch each snowflake before it falls on the city, and he'll fund the pension out of his changepurse, etc.
ReplyDeleteI continue to love how Peduto gets mocked for having the gall to suggest there is room for improvement. Like the idea things can get better implies the need for a miracle worker or messiah. It's called focusing on operations and giving the internal politics a rest, nothing more.
ReplyDeleteHelen - A very measured and well-written post. Kudos.
ReplyDeleteI'd missed this excellent Essential Pittsburgh interview with Patrick Dowd about the lack of supervision for the police force and the impact on their ability to do their jobs effectively.
ReplyDeletehttp://wesa.fm/content/policing-police
That was an outstanding interview, especially as a moment in time.
ReplyDeleteYes, way back in the good old days of innocence and trust:
ReplyDeleteThe latest I've found, from about 5pm tonight - net may be spiraling upwards:
http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2013/02/18/police-chief-investigation-focuses-on-money-trips-meals-and-hotel-rooms/
New Homestead is a surprisingly isolated neighborhood of just a handful of suburban-type streets. When the wind blows off the Mon and up over the ridge, New Homestead feels like the Scottish moors.
ReplyDelete^ if this is a real estate dealer, I love it. Where do the kids go to school?
ReplyDelete"If there were monies diverted to a non-approved depository of the city I'd have to think, well, I don't know what you would characterize that other than as a theft." This is a nice way to accuse someone of a crime without actually doing so.
ReplyDeleteWrong again Bram, Peduto doesn't get criticized for wanting improvement. he gets criticized for what everyone knows is a bunch of baloney. I can assure you, no doubt in my mind, that if he wins (fortunately he won't) he will fill boards and commissions with his supporters, hand our URA money to connected E. End developers and generally do the exact same stuff he complains of. The only difference is that you all will rationalize his actions. No one is buying your bs and you will see it in the election just like Fox News spin doctors learned in November. For proof we don't have to look any further than your and Bill's continued support of Fitzy who might be the worst old school machine Democrat, fracker, strong arm politician to hit the County in decades.
ReplyDeleteCracking up big time - big thanks to Chris Potter for:
ReplyDeleteThe Seven Habits of Highly Effective Police Bureaus: Running city government like a business
http://www.pghcitypaper.com/pittsburgh/the-seven-habits-of-highly-effective-police-bureaus/Content?oid=1620386