Attorney General and Police McKeesport Announces Success of Partnership Against Guns and Drugs – CBS Pittsburgh

MCKEESPORT, Pa. (KDKA) – (KDKA) – Attorney General Josh Shapiro joined Pittsburgh and McKeesport police chiefs on Thursday to update a program to reduce drug and gun violence in the Mon Valley.

So far, law enforcement leaders say the Strategic Response Team program between the Attorney General’s Office and McKeesport police has proven successful.

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SRT’s focus is on drug and gun trafficking in McKeesport. Police say crime is always an issue, but since the SRT program started in July, they are seeing results. Police made more than 70 arrests and took away more than 40 guns from the street. They said they also seized about $358,000 in drugs.

However, they admit their battle has not been easy, with fewer and fewer people wanting to join law enforcement.

“The candidates aren’t there, people don’t want to be police anymore and we need candidates,” said McKeesport director Adam Alfred.

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So does Pittsburgh Police Chief Scott Schubert.

“We lost about 26 to 27, which is the average over the past few years,” Schubert said. “We need you to make policy, your community needs you to control policy.”

They said the work was far from over and there was still work to be done before the streets could be said to be safe.

“Let me be clear: there is no quick fix to the violence we are seeing in this commonwealth. But we do know that there are concrete steps we can take like the partnership in McKeesport that can make lives better and make neighborhoods safer,” said Shapiro.

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Law enforcement leaders say they are tracking guns that may be linked to other crimes and trying to eliminate ghost guns altogether.