The View from Above

Sometimes the view from my office is lovely, sometimes not so much. Today, I saw police cars from countless jurisdictions lined up along Fifth and Forbes Avenue. Traffic was stopped, buses rerouted, and people lined the sidewalks to watch the procession go by. Tragedy is often an overused word these days, but I think it's rather appropriate here. The truth is, not many Pittsburgh police officers die in the line of duty, unlike places like Philadelphia, who has lost over 200 officers in its history. Or say, Iraq, where estimates for police deaths start at 12,000. But the details of this crime are particularly unsavory, and I'm sure the city will be feeling the effects of this incident for a long time to come.