PITTSBURGH —
It has been an initiative since Day 1 for Pittsburgh police Chief Jason Lando, that is to increase staffing levels to have 900 officers. Officials with Pittsburgh Public Safety say there are currently 797 officers, including officers in the academy.
Reaching that 900-officer goal, officials say, would restore 24/7 desk officers at the local police zone to improve accessibility for residents. Currently, there is a desk officer during the day, but they get pulled to answer calls as needed.
What Officials are Saying
It’s a change Councilman Bobby Wilson supports.
“I think it’s important that, you know, there isn’t just a call button at the police station, that you can actually have access to our officers. So I think it’s a good move,” Wilson said. “I think it’s a move that, you know, with the leadership of Chief Lando, I think that, you know, he has a very hands-on approach, and I think that he wants to implement that even at the zone. So, you know, I applaud his effort.”
This is a different approach compared to former police Chief Larry Scirotto’s decision to lower staffing between 3 and 7 a.m., reassign officers from desks to the field, and create a telephone reporting unit to handle lower-priority calls.
This is happening as the city works to navigate its budget crisis. Mayor Corey O’Connor said the city has prepared for the possibility of adding new officers.
“Yeah. I mean, we always budget for higher numbers. So if we get them, that’s more power. To us, it’s better. But again, that’s why, you know, when it comes down to cities, we have to look at what makes the most sense for us to invest in,” O’Connor said.
O’Connor acknowledged that the process would take time but said it could help offset overtime costs.
“And, you know, these budget talks are going to be difficult over the next few months,” O’Connor said. “And, you know, programs that I loved and supported on council, we’re going to have to tweak and do more things in-house or look for partners to bridge those gaps.”
Public safety officials say having 900 officers will put the bureau at pre-pandemic levels.