Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke Jr. has a message for residents: learn how to use a gun.

With budget cutbacks putting a strain on law enforcement, simply calling 911 might not cut it in a life-or-death or situation, Clarke said in a new radio ad this month. Safety is “no longer a spectator sport,” he says. “I need you in the game.”

“With officers laid off and furloughed, simply calling 911 and waiting is no longer your best option,” Clark adds. “You can beg for mercy from a violent criminal, hide under the bed, or you can fight back. But are you prepared?”