DISTRICT ATTORNEY STEPHEN ZAPPALA MAYOR ED GAINEY
When pigs fly is when we’ll see Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey and Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala playing a game of table tennis together.
Zappala, who is running as a Republican to keep his job as District Attorney against Democratic nominee Matt Dugan, said on KDKA Radio in late October that he would consider suing the City of Pittsburgh to take control of the city’s police department if more measures aren’t done to enforce the law in Downtown Pittsburgh.
It’s far from the first jab the DA has taken at Mayor Gainey. But like in previous jabs, it’s Mayor Gainey that has come with his own right hook.
Downtown Pittsburgh, to be clear, has been a point of contention for everyone. Businesses are exiting, apartment buildings are going up for sale, and there is a general sense that some Downtown workers don’t want to return to five-day-a-week office jobs because they may not feel safe in Downtown.
A 17-year-old was stabbed near Liberty Avenue just before 6 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 26. Two people have died via shootings Downtown this year (2023). There have also been reports of assaults, shoplifting, drug dealing and vandalism.
However, the mayor is aware of what’s happening Downtown, and has increased the number of officers on the Downtown beat. These days, you can find officers in police clothes monitoring areas like Liberty Avenue and Wood Street, Wood and Fifth, Market Square, and Smithfield Street. There have been more drug-related arrests, oftentimes from the officers in street clothes.
On Monday, Oct. 30, Mayor Gainey responded to Zappala: “Since the day I was sworn in as mayor of the great City of Pittsburgh, I have made clear that my number one priority is making this the safest city in America. Our public health-based approach to public safety combined with our efforts to improve community police relations has resulted in real tangible results.
“So far we have seen a reduction in homicides year over year. I’ve been clear to our officers, that if someone is causing harm in our city—be it those using guns to settle arguments or drug dealers preying on our most vulnerable residents, we want those individuals held accountable for their actions.
“It is clear that Mr. Zappala is unable to stand on his 20-year career, and instead wishes to mislead and use fear to win an election. We have reviewed the case law, and if Mr. Zappala has a case or a statute that he can cite to prove he has the authority to seize control of our Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, I’d love to see it.
“I can, however, say that time and time again our courts have stated that being homeless in and of itself is not a crime. He may wish to use his authority to punish those who have the least, but my administration believes in caring for their safety and working with our partners to provide credible offers of housing, security, and a path toward a safer tomorrow.
“We will continue our work to make our city the safest in America, and we believe in our mission of having zero gun deaths in Pittsburgh. In order to have the lasting peace that Pittsburgh deserves, we need real partners at the table who are ready to work together to make that a reality and not point fingers.”
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