It was a comment made by Judge Alfred Mackey to WKYC over a week ago in response  to the question "what residents should do to protect themselves and their families" due to severe cutbacks in law enforcement.   Cut backs that have reduced the Sheriff's office patrols to a single vehicle covering over 700 square miles of Ashtabula county at any given time - proving the point that law enforcement is for the most part reactive to criminal acts.  From the WKYC coverage at the time:

"Arm themselves," the judge said. "Be very careful, be vigilant, get in touch with your neighbors, because we're going to have to look after each other."

That day the story grew legs and went national - a sitting judge told people to arm themselves for self-defense and he wasn't kidding!  We covered the story quite promptly ourselves back when it happened over a week ago, but the main stream media isn't letting this topic go away, which is frankly great news.  This past weekend OFCC's Chris Harben appeared on national television addressing the matter with Fox & Friends.  Today, the Cleveland Plain Dealer is covering the story all over again.

Here is a point that may be falling through the cracks in this reporting:  The need and the right to defend yourself doesn't come with budget cuts and reduced law enforcement staffing.   Carrying a firearm for self-defense, and any other methods of situational awareness, were just as valid before these budget cuts as they are today.

If the number of deputies on the road were to double during excellent economic times it doesn't mean that the need to defend yourself against a violent attacker would instantly summons the presence of law enforcement - that obligation at the moment of truth lies with you and you alone -- the is no realistic amount of increased law enforcement that could have made this recent and tragic car jacking and near abduction less terrifying.