Numerous changes go into effect today for Pittsburgh Police, including reducing overnight staffing
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Changes are coming today within the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, including officers beginning to work 10-hour days and working one less day per week.
Police leaders say they hope this will help with both officer recruitment as well as retention.
As a result, officers will get an extra 52 days off per year.
In addition to working four days per week for eight hours per day (as opposed to the traditional five day week at eight hours per shift), officers will also get one hour each week of 'wellness time' they can use during their shift however they'd like.
There are other changes coming to the department starting today, as well.
Officers will only respond to 50,000 calls per year moving forward, instead of the usual 200,00 they respond to.
The other 150,000 calls will go to an online reporting unit and telephone reporting unit.
740 officers are currently in operation and 41 more are in training.
Chief Larry Scirotto says 27 officers will cover the night watch.
"Data said from 3 a.m. to 7 a.m., that we had 8% of our call volume yet we had 33% of our personnel working during that time, so it didn't make sense for us to continue that level of allocation," Scirotto said. "I am confident in the decisions that we make, that it impacts this bureau and city in a much better way then we have in the past."
The bureau is adding a new Violent Crime Division focusing on reducing violent crime and gun violence.
A new watch commander is also being added to the night shift.
The units will be placed strategically to suit the needs of the city.