{"id":222183,"date":"2026-06-18T12:15:11","date_gmt":"2026-06-18T12:15:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/222183\/"},"modified":"2026-06-18T12:15:11","modified_gmt":"2026-06-18T12:15:11","slug":"11-investigates-public-safety-officials-stand-behind-plan-to-address-violence-in-south-side","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/222183\/","title":{"rendered":"11 Investigates: Public safety officials stand behind plan to address violence in South Side"},"content":{"rendered":"

PITTSBURGH \u2014 11 Investigates broke the story last month about a plan to address violence<\/a> in the South Side. <\/p>\n

Now, Chief Investigator Rick Earle is questioning city officials about the new South Side Street Fest that begins this Saturday night. <\/p>\n

RELATED COVERAGE >>> South Side residents express concerns as organizers highlight benefits of new safety plan<\/a><\/p>\n

Officials say the community approached them about the plan to hold a street festival every Friday and Saturday night during the summer. <\/p>\n

The police chief and the public safety director both expressed support for the event that will shut down six blocks of East Carson Street beginning Saturday night. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re running this as a pilot to see how it goes this summer,\u201d Police Chief Jason Lando said. \u201cIf at the end of the summer, we say this didn\u2019t hit the mark, we will shift and refocus.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lando is talking about the community-led effort on the South Side that begins this weekend. <\/p>\n

On Friday and Saturday nights through the summer, East Carson Street will be shut down between 12th and 18th streets for a festival with music and vendors from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. <\/p>\n

No one under 21 will be allowed inside, in an effort to cut down on the violence.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat South Side plan is to try and make sure that we try to address some of the behaviors that we have seen in the past,\u201d Pittsburgh Public Safety Director Sheldon Williams said. \u201cSo, implementation of that is in response to what we have seen.\u201d<\/p>\n

Some business owners fear it will chase away customers, while some residents are concerned about getting to and from their homes on the southside. <\/p>\n

PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> 11 Investigates: New plan to keep South Side safe during the summer<\/a><\/p>\n

For years, the city has attempted to address problems outside bars and nightclubs on East Carson Street, even closing down one side of the street years ago. <\/p>\n

Now the entire road will be shut down, and private security guards using metal detectors will ID everyone entering the festival.<\/p>\n

PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> South Side business owners react to new plan to increase safety over the summer<\/a><\/p>\n

Organizers received a $125,000 state grant to pay for security every weekend during the summer. <\/p>\n

Chief Lando says his officers will be on hand as well.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t have an unlimited amount of police officers, so as the Zone 3 commander and the community members and business owners were building this plan, we determined some private security could handle the carding and ID\u2019ing at the entry and exit points, and police officers could be free to be rovers in the area … and close down some of the streets so it was really a team effort,\u201d Lando said.<\/p>\n

This weekend will prove if that team effort paid off. <\/p>\n

The festival begins this Saturday night, and it runs every Friday and Saturday night through Sept. 15.<\/p>\n

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