Community members, business leaders, parents, teenagers and public safety officials gathered Tuesday night to discuss solutions to violence in Market Square.The public safety forum comes after an increase in violent incidents involving teenagers, including fights, weapons complaints and a deadly shooting Monday near Market Square.Officials said the meeting was intended to open a broader conversation about long-term solutions and clarify why the city recently enacted a temporary chaperone policy for Downtown.“This is a large conversation, and this was not intended to be a permanent solution. It’s a stopgap measure,” Pittsburgh Police Chief Jason Lando said. Under the policy, minors in Market Square must be accompanied by an adult from 3 p.m. to midnight Thursday through Sunday.Pittsburgh Public Safety Director Sheldon Williams said the restrictions are aimed at behavior, not young people themselves.“It wasn’t about people in the space,” Williams said. “It’s about the behavior of people in this space.”Police said officers have responded to more than 1,000 calls in Market Square so far this year. Those incidents include large fights, trespassing complaints, illegal weapons and other disturbances. Officials also said police have issued twice as many citations in the last three months compared with the same period last year.“At a certain point, it felt to me that doing nothing was irresponsible,” said Jeremy Waldrup, president and CEO of the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership.Community leaders said solving the problem will require more than increased police presence. Many speakers stressed the need for adult involvement, mentorship and more opportunities for teenagers outside of school.Cornell Jones, a group violence intervention specialist, described what he said has become a troubling culture surrounding violence downtown.“People are coming down there to fight, to take their phone and be able to set up fights between people that they didn’t set up in advance, to be able to make the destruction of our community entertainment,” Jones said.Some parents at the forum also called on adults to take accountability.“The adults — we are the problem. We failed our children,” Tanika Harris said.Teenagers who attended the meeting said they feel the actions of a small group are negatively affecting others who simply want a safe place to gather with friends.“It’s really unfair for them to make Market Square specifically 18 and older,” said 18-year-old Martez Council. “I feel like if y’all was really going to make these events, where’s what’s best for the kids? For the kids, I feel like there should be more programs, maybe even after-school program.”Leaders said the goal is not to permanently limit access to Downtown spaces, but to create an environment where everyone feels safe.“Success to me in this space is not this limited access,” Waldrup said. “Success to me is fewer violent incidents. It’s less of a need for police intervention. It’s a Market Square where teens can be, where families can be, where the workers can be.”There is currently no timeline for when the chaperone policy could end.
PITTSBURGH —
Community members, business leaders, parents, teenagers and public safety officials gathered Tuesday night to discuss solutions to violence in Market Square.
The public safety forum comes after an increase in violent incidents involving teenagers, including fights, weapons complaints and a deadly shooting Monday near Market Square.
Officials said the meeting was intended to open a broader conversation about long-term solutions and clarify why the city recently enacted a temporary chaperone policy for Downtown.
“This is a large conversation, and this was not intended to be a permanent solution. It’s a stopgap measure,” Pittsburgh Police Chief Jason Lando said.
Under the policy, minors in Market Square must be accompanied by an adult from 3 p.m. to midnight Thursday through Sunday.
Pittsburgh Public Safety Director Sheldon Williams said the restrictions are aimed at behavior, not young people themselves.
“It wasn’t about people in the space,” Williams said. “It’s about the behavior of people in this space.”
Police said officers have responded to more than 1,000 calls in Market Square so far this year. Those incidents include large fights, trespassing complaints, illegal weapons and other disturbances. Officials also said police have issued twice as many citations in the last three months compared with the same period last year.
“At a certain point, it felt to me that doing nothing was irresponsible,” said Jeremy Waldrup, president and CEO of the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership.
Community leaders said solving the problem will require more than increased police presence. Many speakers stressed the need for adult involvement, mentorship and more opportunities for teenagers outside of school.
Cornell Jones, a group violence intervention specialist, described what he said has become a troubling culture surrounding violence downtown.
“People are coming down there to fight, to take their phone and be able to set up fights between people that they didn’t set up in advance, to be able to make the destruction of our community entertainment,” Jones said.
Some parents at the forum also called on adults to take accountability.
“The adults — we are the problem. We failed our children,” Tanika Harris said.
Teenagers who attended the meeting said they feel the actions of a small group are negatively affecting others who simply want a safe place to gather with friends.
“It’s really unfair for them to make Market Square specifically 18 and older,” said 18-year-old Martez Council. “I feel like if y’all was really going to make these events, where’s what’s best for the kids? For the kids, I feel like there should be more programs, maybe even after-school program.”
Leaders said the goal is not to permanently limit access to Downtown spaces, but to create an environment where everyone feels safe.
“Success to me in this space is not this limited access,” Waldrup said. “Success to me is fewer violent incidents. It’s less of a need for police intervention. It’s a Market Square where teens can be, where families can be, where the workers can be.”
There is currently no timeline for when the chaperone policy could end.