Officers will no longer attend to non-urgent calls, including thefts, harassment, and burglary alarms, unless they are deemed "in-progress emergencies."
According to WPXI Channel 11, these non-emergency calls will now be directed to a telephone recording unit for remote filing. Moreover, between 3 am and 7 am, the city's six police stations will operate without desk officers, leaving approximately 20 officers to cover overnight shifts citywide. Call boxes connected to 911 will be accessible for emergencies during these hours.
March 11, 2024
Officer Scirotto justified the changes, stating, “There is not any data to support us having our zones manned by personnel from 3 am to 7 am. For the very one off instance I can’t make an exception.”
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However, the Pittsburgh Police Officers’ Union raised concerns regarding the policy shift, linking it directly to the department's staffing shortages. Union President Bob Swartzwelder emphasized the strain on officers and warned of potential contract breaches due to excessive commitments and inadequate resourcing.
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Swartzwelder remarked, “The staffing plan designed by police command is a direct response to a seriously understaffed police department. Only time will tell if the plan works or the Chief will need to pivot and modify his plan quickly.”
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He concluded by stating, “The FOP will be watching carefully for any contract violations that develop especially when non-emergency events come up such as St. Patrick’s Day, parades, large concerts, July 4th etc. In short, the FOP believes that the police department is seriously over-committed and under-resourced.”
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