Jump the Felon, Kill the Squirrel

With violent assaults storming over New York, and with many crimes going on not prosecutedthe firepower of state law enforcement has been directed at a truly dangerous criminal adversary: ​​a pet squirrel.

Dan Longo’s beloved pet, Peanut, was seized from his home in Pine City, New Yorkon 30 October. Response to anonymous reports of “potentially unsafe housing of wildlife,” Elmira’s overzealous (to put it kindly) animal control officers from the Department of Environmental Conservation showed up at Longo’s home in a convoy of vehicles. The DEC officers, numbering ten in all, forcibly removed Peanut. After Peanut allegedly asked one of the officers, the squirrel was euthanized—ostensibly to test for rabies, although squirrels “almost never get rabies,” according to no less an authority than the New York State Department of Health. But why should we expect government game workers to know such relevant things?

As the officers raided Longo’s home, they took the opportunity to do so grill his wife about her immigration status. Their interest in this case is surprising given the state’s usual modus operandi: illegal immigrants have been swarming New York for years, straining public services, shelters and even schools. Violent Tren de Aragua Venezuelan gang members”hide in plain sight” in New York City’s immigrant shelter. But Longo’s wife: now there is a woman to watch.

The raid on Longo’s home lasted five hours. Longo said the experience made him feel “like a drug dealer.” He should be so lucky. New York drug dealers and abusers can conduct their trade free from government interference. In fact, not only are they left largely unchallenged throughout the state, but in many jurisdictions they benefit from taxpayer-funded equipment.

DEC’s zealous attention to busting offenders stands in stark contrast to New York law enforcement’s approach to other crimes. Tattooed gang members roam the streets of New York impunityNew York Police appear helpless to deal with dangerous criminal immigrants and the crime clearance rate is poor: 41.47 percent in New York City as a whole, 29 percent in Manhattan. In 2023, the 126,920 arrests in New York State resulted in only 58,871 convictions—a conviction rate of a dismal 46 percent.

The few criminals that the police manage to arrest are often set free. 66 percent of those released without bail are rearrested within two years. Dantay Moore stabbed and killed a 63-year-old grandmother. Although Moore had 15 previous convictions, he was released back onto the streets to kill. Guy Riverawho shot and killed NYPD officer Jonathan Diller, had nine prior arrests. Alvin Doris punched an 11-year-old and broke his nose. Doris had nine prior arrests, including four prior assault charges. In 2023, 250 people were responsible 2,500 arrests in the city, and 70 percent of those arrested were repeat offenders.

ONE 2024 survey of New York City crime shows that “categories of violent crime, such as assault, are in the midst of a significant increase,” causing many New Yorkers to have “growing feelings of insecurity in their neighborhoods.”

New York could devote more taxpayer dollars to making communities safer and helping families feel more secure. The state could aggressively help federal immigration authorities remove dangerous criminals. It could hire more officers to curb petty crime and use more resources to solve violent cases.

Instead, the government has found a way to make New York families feel even less safe: by demonstrating that the state can now join migrants and criminals in invading private homes and harassing citizens. Not one New Yorker will be relieved to know that DEC has taken Peanut off the streets. As for the bad guys, they don’t need to lose sleep.

Images: Spencer Platt/Getty Images (left) / Selcuk Acar/Anadolu via Getty Images (right)