Opinion
WTAE Editorial: Leadership is the answer, not panic
THIS IS A WTAE EDITORIAL SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE EDITORIAL BOARD IS CHARLES W. WOLFERTZ III PRESIDENT AND GENERAL MANAGER OF WTAE. WHEN HUNDREDS OF TEENS GATHER IN EAST LIBERTY OR MARKET SQUARE, AND THE NIGHT ENDS WITH PEPPER SPRAY, LOCKDOWNS, ARRESTS AND FEAR. PITTSBURGH HAS A PROBLEM BIGGER THAN ONE CROWD. TEENS JUST NEED SOMETHING TO DO WITH THEIR TIME, THEIR SPARE TIME. ESPECIALLY NOW THAT SCHOOL’S OUT. YES, YOUNG PEOPLE MUST BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE WHEN FIGHTS BREAK OUT OR OFFICERS ARE ASSAULTED. BUT ACCOUNTABILITY ALONE IS NOT A STRATEGY. THESE GATHERINGS ARE BEING FUELED BY SOCIAL MEDIA, SUMMER BOREDOM, AND A SHORTAGE OF SAFE, SUPERVISED PLACES WHERE TEENS ACTUALLY WANT TO BE. THE CITY PARENTS, SCHOOLS, COMMUNITY GROUPS AND BUSINESSES ALL HAVE A ROLE HERE. MORE PROGRAMS, MORE VISIBLE, ADULT PRESENCE, FASTER INTERVENTION. CLEAR CONSEQUENCES. PITTSBURGH SHOULD NOT TREAT TEENAGERS LIKE THE ENEMY, BUT WE ALSO CANNOT LET PUBLIC SPACES BECOME UNSAFE. WE BELIEVE THE ANSWER IS NOT PANIC. IT’S LEADERSHIP BEFORE THE NEXT CROWD FORMS AND SOMEONE GETS SERIOUSLY HURT. WTAE WELCOMES RESPONSIBLE REPLIES TO THI
Opinion
WTAE Editorial: Leadership is the answer, not panic
Updated: 3:49 PM EDT Jun 25, 2026
WTAE President & General Manager Charles W. Wolfertz III speaks on behalf of the editorial board: Click the video above to watch the editorial.
WTAE President & General Manager Charles W. Wolfertz III speaks on behalf of the editorial board: Click the video above to watch the editorial.