Jump the felon, kill the squirrel

With violent attacks on the rise across New York and many crimes going unprosecuted, the firepower of state law enforcement is directed against a truly dangerous criminal foe: a pet squirrel.

Dan Longo's beloved pet, Peanut, was confiscated from his home in Pine City, New York on October 30th. Responding to anonymous reports of “potentially unsafe wildlife housing,” Elmira's overly zealous (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 total of ten DEC officers forcibly removed Peanut. After Peanut allegedly bit one of the officers, the squirrel was euthanized – ostensibly to test for rabies, although squirrels “almost never contract rabies,” according to no less an authority than the New York State Department of Health. But why should we expect state wildlife workers to know such relevant things?

While officers were searching Longo's home, they took the opportunity to question his wife about her immigration status. Their interest in the matter is surprising given the state's usual modus operandi: Illegal immigrants have been pouring into New York for years, putting a strain on public services, housing and even schools. Violent members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua are “hiding in plain sight” in New York City’s migrant shelters. But Longo's wife: Now there's a woman to watch out for.

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 addicts can ply their trade free from government interference. In fact, not only do they remain largely unmolested throughout the state, but in many jurisdictions they also have taxpayer-funded paraphernalia.

The DEC's diligent attention to tracking down lawbreakers stands in stark contrast to New York law enforcement's approach to other crimes. Tattooed gang members roam the streets of New York with impunity, the New York police seem helpless when dealing with dangerous criminal immigrants, and the crime clearance rate is poor: 41.47 percent in New York City overall, 29 percent in Manhattan. In 2023, New York State's 126,920 arrests resulted in just 58,871 convictions – a conviction rate of a dismal 46 percent.

The few criminals the police are able to actually arrest are often released. 66 percent of people released without bail are rearrested within two years. Dantay Moore stabbed and killed a 63-year-old grandmother. Even though Moore had 15 criminal convictions, he was let back out on the streets to kill. Guy Rivera, who shot and killed NYPD officer Jonathan Diller, has been arrested nine times for crimes. Alvin Doris hit an eleven-year-old and broke his nose. Doris has been arrested nine times, including four times for assault. In 2023, 250 people accounted for 2,500 arrests in the city, and 70 percent of those arrested were repeat offenders.

A 2024 study of crime in New York City shows that “categories of violent crime, such as assault, are experiencing significant increases,” causing many New Yorkers to feel “a growing sense of insecurity in their neighborhoods.” .

New York could devote more tax dollars to making communities safer and helping families feel safer. The state could aggressively assist federal immigration authorities in deporting dangerous criminals. It could hire more patrol officers to curb petty crime and devote more resources to solving violent cases.

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

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