New Precautions In Place After Threat Made Against City Police
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - The FBI has issued an alert to police after threats to kill police officers and civilians have been made.
Pittsburgh Police are now taking extra precautions.
The Pittsburgh Police Department won't elaborate on the threats that the FBI says were made against local officers. The department did say that right now, there aren't any active threats.
Still, officers will be doubling up until further notice.
The FBI alert came out this weekend and said a trusted source had told authorities about unspecified threats to kill law enforcement and white civilians.
In the report, the FBI didn't list a specific location, but said the source has direct access to violent criminal enterprises in the Pittsburgh metropolitan region.
Pittsburgh Assistant Police Chief Maurita Bryant said the office gets alerts from the FBI and State Police and they don't take them lightly.
"Of course they're concerned and they're watching each other's back," Bryant said.
The threats come on the heels of a violent weekend in New York City, where two officers were shot and killed. The suspect had threatened officer lives on social media as retaliation for the shooting deaths of black men at the hands of white police officers.
"Their families are hearing about this. They think about when their loved one who puts that uniform on and goes to work," Bryant said.
All 874 Pittsburgh Police officers will be required to police in doubles while on duty.
During felony stops, officers are also being urged to wait for a backup.
"We want them to know that we're doing everything possible to make sure if there is a valid threat here in Pittsburgh, that officers are being vigilant," Bryant said.
Community members are being asked to place a blue light in their windows to let officers know they're being supported.
FBI field agent Greg Heeb joined "The KDKA Morning News" to explain the warning the FBI has sent out to law enforcement and white civilians.
He said it is normal protocol for the bureau to notify all law enforcement agencies when they receive information on a threat.
As to the portion of the threat which mentions white civilians, Heeb said that information wasn't specific.
"Whether or not that [information] is credible; we don't have any additional information. It was simply given to us we took it, and we sent it right out as quick as we could," Heeb said.
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