New York is tapping the National Guard to combat crime on its subways. Philly isn't doing the same.

[FakeNoose]

After a spate of shootings involving SEPTA, residents wondered if the National Guard could or would be deployed to combat crime.



Philly Inquirer link: https://www.inquirer.com/crime/septa-shootings-national-guard-philadelphia-20240307.html

As Philadelphia copes with a surge of violent crime on and around SEPTA, neighboring New York is taking bold steps to combat crime on its public transit system. Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Wednesday that she would be deploying thousands of officers, including National Guard and state police troopers, to patrol New York City’s subway system and check commuters’ bags in an attempt to reduce crime.

In Philadelphia, there were several shootings involving SEPTA this week alone, including a shooting Wednesday at one of the city’s busiest intersections that left eight Northeast High School students wounded and two SEPTA buses riddled with bullets. But city and state leaders have stopped short of calling for the National Guard to move in to stem the flow of violence.

In previous remarks, Mayor Cherelle L. Parker had alluded to the possibility, particularly to help address the open-air drug market in Kensington. But any deployment of the National Guard would require approval from Gov. Josh Shapiro, who has said he wasn’t considering such drastic action.

While Parker was noncommittal Thursday morning about seeking assistance from the National Guard, Shapiro was clear: He’s still not considering it. “I have no plans to deploy the National Guard on the streets of Philadelphia,” Shapiro said in an interview Thursday morning.

- more at link -

You know who's happy? The NRA is happy. The gun crazies are happy. So parents are considering buying their own child a gun? That's completely nuts.

[Quakerfriend]

1. With what's happened on Septa buses this past

week you would think they might follow NYC.

[Think. Again.]

2. At least Philly isn't kow-towing to the fear-mongering media like NY is.

[modrepub]

3. Regular SEPTA Rider

SEPTA have their own (armed) security guards. Now, they aren't on every bus, but I've seen them on the platforms and on the L (one of the subways).

TBH, I'd trust the SEPTA and Philadelphia police department over National Guard units. Not a knock on NG but I can't see that those folks have much training in operating in large public settings. The SEPTA and Philly police should have that type of training and they'd probably be much more familiar with the local features and people than NG troops pulled from other parts of the state.

NYC has a lot more tourists than Philly. I'm sure part of the reason for deployment by the NY Governor is there needs to be some type of public showing to make it appear that the government is reacting and make folks visiting the city "feel" safer.