Pittsburgh's police chief pushes back against criticisms of sweeping redeployment
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Since redeploying staff for the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Chief Larry Scirotto has heard the allegations, and he denies them all.
Sitting down for the first time since ordering the changes, the chief told KDKA-TV that his reorganization is enhancing the public's safety and the wellness of his officers.
Since his swearing-in ceremony 10 months ago, Scirotto has been tasked with doing more with less. So, he's employed data analytics to maximize officers' effectiveness.
"We've been talking about this since the day they hired me," he said. "I just don't think people realize we'd actually execute it."
The sweeping redeployment changes when officers work and how they work, now responding only to priority in-progress emergency calls like shootings and robberies, and referring non-emergencies like harassment and theft to a telephone reporting unit.
Since data shows those most serious crimes occur during the day, he's shifted more officers into that time slot while decreasing those overnight. And to maximize those nighttime patrols, he's ordered desk officers to leave station houses.
"From 3 a.m. to 7 a.m., there aren't desk officers. In the past, there would have been. But I need those six officers out in patrol operations. So, they're answering calls instead of sitting there," Scirotto said.
Scirotto denies reports that as few as a dozen officers cover the city on some nights, saying there are more officers on the street at those times. And, he says, the redeployments have allowed him to create high-impact special units to focus on problems Downtown and on the South Side while staffing violence prevention and fugitive units.
"We are doing our job to keep the city safe, the residents within it and our our officers," Scirotto said. "To do that, you have to make informed decisions."
Like the manager of a business or sports team, Scirotto says he is constantly reviewing the data and analytics to see if the changes are effective and where shifts are needed. So far, he believes it is paying off.
KDKA-TV's Andy Sheehan: "You're doing the best with the team you have."
Scirotto: "And I have a great team. The men and women of this bureau do fantastic work."
The bureau has 780 officers, far less than the budgeted number of 850. While Chief Scirotto wants more, he says with these changes, he has the number he needs to keep the city safe.