Pittsburgh Police Commander Jason Lando Leaves Behind Legacy Of Improving Relations With Community
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Pittsburgh Police Commander Jason Lando is on his way to become police chief in Frederick, Maryland. He pioneered a series of innovative programs with the goal to improve police and community relations in neighborhoods like Garfield, East Liberty and Homewood.
Lando made his mark in improving police-community relations during the last decade when tensions and mistrust ran the highest — strained to the breaking point with the beating of suspect Jordan Miles. But in being named commander of Zone 5, Jason Lando saw an opportunity for change.
"I have some great cops who do the right thing every day and they need support, and then you have some great community members, that they're law-abiding citizens, they just want to feel connected and supported by their police department. All the stuff we did out in Zone 5 was really to break down those walls and help people to come together," he said.
Expansion of community police officers walking the beat, police officers playing basketball with neighborhood teams, even cops reading to kids at the Homewood Carnegie Library. Zone 5 had been known as the Fighting Fifth, the toughest zone in the city, but Lando moved to change the police mindset from warrior to guardian.
"It's really trying to train officers to adopt more of this guardian mentality, right? Where it's not us vs. them, it's us with the community trying to fight crime and make the neighborhood safer," he said.
Tim Stevens of the Black Political Empowerment credits Lando in large part with ushering in an era of reform in the police bureau that has led to fewer complaints, more cooperation and trust.
"I think Jason made a profound difference in the atmosphere in the relationship between the community and the police," Stevens said.
While Stevens continues to see problems, he believes the bureau is moving in the right direction.
"There is movement, there is commitment," he said.
Leaving his hometown after 21 years as a police officer here is bittersweet for Lando, who leaves a legacy and a hope for the future.
"Are things perfect here now? No, they're never going to be perfect, but the important thing is we keep trying," he said.
Jason Lando spoke with KDKA's Andy Sheehan Friday as the movers were packing up his furniture. He begins as chief of Frederick on March 8 and we wish him all the luck.