Reimagining policing builds upon existing community structures that are currently under-resourced and incorporating new models. |
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Recommendations prioritize building or strengthening structures and other service sources to handle the categories that are not related to fighting and responding to serious crime, with the goal of moving as many of these other responsibilities to others within two years. |
The Office of Community Health and Safety was launched in January to build a continuum of supports and responses to non-violent offenses. OCHS, in partnership with PBP and Pittsburgh EMS, launched a co-response and proactive homelessness street outreach team with Allegheny Health Network in Q4 of 2020. OCHS is working with PBP and Foundation of HOPE to develop pre-charge diversion pilot in Zone 1 with plans to scale across the city. |
PBP and OCHS are revising/rebuilding CIT training for officers and fortifying partnerships with programs like re:solve to ensure most appropriate response and officer preparedness. Over the next year, OCHS will pilot alternative response models with community and public safety input to prioritize and scale safe "right responder" models. |
2 years |
Ensure that appropriate training for 911 triage is implemented. Given such services are operated at the County level. |
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Continuing a partnership with the Allegheny County Emergency Management Agency Office with the newly created Office of Community Health &Safety and Crisis Response Working Group. |
On-going |
The City of Pittsburgh should serve as a leader to advocate for these changes, aiming to garner support from other municipalities in Allegheny County. |
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OCHS is working with PBP, CONNECT (Congress of Neighboring Communities), Allegheny County Sheriffs, and Allegheny County Department of Human Services Crisis Response group to develop county-wide jurisdictionally equitable programming, including pre-charge diversion, CIT training for borough officers, and proactive homelessness outreach. |
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The City of Pittsburgh leadership convene other law enforcement agencies around these principles to ensure social justice efforts are consistent within the city. |
The PBP conducted a meeting with Allegheny County Law Enforcement partners on April 12, 2020 and shared the PBP's vision for 21st Century Policing. |
PBP to convene regular meetings with local police agenices operating within the City of Pittsburgh to discuss social justice reform. |
On-going |
PBP structures the Memorandum of Agreement with Pittsburgh Public Schools (PPS) to remove over-policing in PPS and develop a pre-arrest diversion program. |
The PBP participates in a youth diversion project with the Foundation of Hope (FOH) piloting in Zone 1. |
FOH seeks to expand this pilot project city wide. Currently PPS has their own Police Agency for enforcing laws within PPS schools. |
1 year |
Increase the share of encounter-free traffic enforcement among non-criminal incidents. Encounter free traffic enforcement reduces direct police interaction with drivers and passengers for routine traffic stops not-related to criminal activity. |
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The PBP is currently exploring alternative forms of traffic enforcement which could remove bias while balancing public safety. |
1 year |
Reset priorities for Pittsburgh policing. |
Engaging a consultant to assist PBP leadership in defining priorities and further developing a strategic plan. |
PBP Leadership is working to determine the current priorities, and what the new priorities of the PBP should be with input from governement, community, external, and internal stakeholders. |
6 months |
Increase data collection and reporting for greater transparency with the public on disposition of nonviolent incidents, and data-informed policy decisions. |
The PBP currently collects data regarding non-violent incidents and interactions. This data is published yearly in the annual report. |
With the implementation of the new RMS, reports can be added, generated, and manipulated as needed to meet these and any further requirements. The Office of Community Health and Safety to examine existing calls to determine an improved response model. |
1 year |
Implement a data-informed approach to reset policing priorities and shift appropriate activities to other entities. Use existing data sources to produce a public breakdown of how officer time is spent in responses to: serious crimes, burglar alarms (including false alarms), taking reports, traffic enforcement, checks on citizen welfare, truancy, noise complaints, etc.. |
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With the implementation of the new Records Management System, reports can be added, generated, and manipulated as needed to meet these and any further requirements.Office of Community Health and Safety to examine existing calls to determine an improved response model. |
1 year |
Provide intersectional data (race, gender identity, disability, etc.) on 911 call disposition and response and police-initiated stops for the continuum – initiation to arrest. |
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With the implementation of the new RMS, reports can be added, generated, and manipulated as needed to meet these and any further requirements. |
1 year |
Meet the need to create a safe, equitable, and just community through improved PBP-community relations. |
The PBP has established the Community Engagement Office (CEO) to meet this need. |
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Complete |
Implement crisis intervention efforts to provide a non-police response or hybrid response for non-criminal incidents centered on human service needs. Examples of models as previously discussed include but are not limited to CAHOOTS and STAR. |
The PBP works with Mercy Behavioral Health and UPMC for the Crisis Intervention Team, as well as Re:Solve as a community outreach program for non-criminal incidents. Additionally, PBP, EMS, OCHS launched the AHN street outreach and co-reponse team in 2020 to proactively support individuals experiencing issues related to homelessness/displacement and to co-respond with first responders. |
PBP and OCHS working to scale AHN integrated teams across the city. are revising/rebuilding CIT training for officers and fortifying partnerships with programs like re:solve to ensure most appropriate response and officer preparedness. Over the next year, OCHS will pilot alternative response models with community and public safety input to prioritize and scale safe "right responder" models. Additionally, OCHS is developng neighborhood health and safety trainings in partnership with PBP, PBF, and EMS to empower community members to navigate systems and provide appropriate bystander care. |
2 years |
Shift some traffic enforcement duties away from PBP. Models to explore that include use of technology:Encounter-free traffic stops, such as Friedersdorf’s (2016) recommendation to replace police direct engagement in routine traffic stops of vehicles that exhibit a violation with taking a photo of the license plate and mailing a “fix it” ticket. Berkeley, CA – City Council voted to shift traffic and parking enforcement from the police bureau to a newly created Department of Transportation |
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The PBP is currently exploring alternative forms of traffic enforcement which could remove bias while balancing public safety. OCHS is partnering with social service supports. Additionally the PBP and City of Pittsburgh are exploring legislative actions needed to make changes to current enforcement models. |
1 year |
Reallocate PBP funding to more appropriately align human services functions currently handled by PBP |
City council reallocated money to prioritize prevention, intervention and reintegration in an effort to reimagine Public Safety. The reallolcation of funds will suppot work being done by the Office of Community Health and Safety and the Office of Community Services and Violence Prevention. |
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On-going |
Provide PBP with resources and support to effectively respond to non-criminal human service calls/needs. |
The PBP works with Mercy Behavioral Health and UPMC for the Crisis Intervention Team, as well as Re:Solve as a community outreach program for non-criminal incidents. |
PBP and OCHS working to scale AHN integrated teams across the city. are revising/rebuilding CIT training for officers and fortifying partnerships with programs like re:solve to ensure most appropriate response and officer preparedness. Over the next year, OCHS will pilot alternative response models with community and public safety input to prioritize and scale safe "right responder" models. Additionally, OCHS is developng neighborhood health and safety trainings in partnership with PBP, PBF, and EMS to empower community members to navigate systems and provide appropriate bystander care. |
On-going |
Allocate funding from the Public Safety budget to support non-law enforcement crisis intervention partners for above recommendations. Examples include, but are not limited to community outreach, mental health interventions, school and out-of-school time activities, etc. |
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Internal meetings have been scheduled to discuss funding, identifiy partners and create appropriate timelines. |
On-going |
Reallocate funding from the PBP budget to reduce non-criminal incidents that escalate to Immigration and Customs Enforcement involvement. |
The PBP does not engage in investigatory detention of individuals based on their immigration status. PBP Policy states that "Officers shall not inquire as to a victim’s/witness’s immigration status. Officers must protect crime victims regardless of their immigration status, and should encourage all victims and witnesses to report crimes, regardless of their immigration status. Members shall not arrest or detain any individual based on a civil immigration warrant and any administrative warrants listed in the National Crime Information Center Database (NCIC) " |
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Complete |
Reallocate PBP funding previously earmarked for activities prohibited through the Use of Force subcommittee recommendations to implement recommendations provided in this report. |
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Reallocation of funds will support the work of the Office of Community Services and Violence Prevention. |
On-going |
Work through existing programs and developing new services to respond to nonviolent incidents. |
The Office of Community Health and Safety was launched in January to build a continuum of supports and responses to non-violent offenses. OCHS, in partnership with PBP and Pittsburgh EMS, launched a co-response and proactive homelessness street outreach team with Allegheny Health Network in Q4 of 2020. OCHS is working with PBP and Foundation of HOPE to develop pre-charge diversion in Zone 1 with plans to scale across the city. |
PBP and OCHS working to scale AHN integrated teams across the city. are revising/rebuilding CIT training for officers and fortifying partnerships with programs like re:solve to ensure most appropriate response and officer preparedness. Over the next year, OCHS will pilot alternative response models with community and public safety input to prioritize and scale safe "right responder" models. Additionally, OCHS is developing neighborhood health and safety trainings in partnership with PBP, PBF, and EMS to empower community members to navigate systems and provide appropriate bystander care. |
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Immediately join and provide ongoing staffing resources for Allegheny County’s Crisis Response Stakeholder Group (CRSG) |
PBP, Department of Public Safety, Mayor's Office, and Office of Community Health & Safety participated in the entirety of the CRSG and will remain consistently engaged. |
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Complete |
Immediately coordinate and collaborate with the Allegheny County government for 911 training to align with CRSG objectives. |
In progress by Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Pittsburgh Public Safety Department, and Office of Community Health & Safety. |
Attend regular meetings. |
On-going |
Reduce PBP responses to noncriminal complaints by increasing education and outreach around the appropriate “n11” to contact. 211 is a comprehensive 24/7 multi-modal resource for human service needs. 311 is for non-emergency municipal services. |
Officers will continue to publicize and explain the "211 & 311" systems at community meetings. |
CEO working to create Public Service Announcements to educate community on "211 & 311" options. OCHS will also provide support. |
1 year |
Adopt Allegheny County Department of Human Services Pre-arrest Diversion Model - Partner with police, community and system stakeholders on pre-arrest diversion efforts that provide opportunities for law enforcement to connect people who have underlying needs to community-based supports in lieu of arrest (e.g. LEAD). |
The Office of Community Health and Safety and PBP are working in direct partnership with DHS and CONNECT to launch pre-charge diversion in Zone 1 with plans to scale across the city. |
OCHS is developing a plan to scale across the city. |
1 Year |
Reduce the policing and criminalization of communitiesof color |
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Entering into a partnership with the Institute of Politics to discuss disproportinate minority contact. Strategy will be developed based on the report. |
12 months |
Budget allocations to support community-led and driven violence prevention, intervention, and interruption initiatives in partnership with law enforcement to create viable public safety alternatives. |
The PBP currently staffs and funds the Outreach Office, led by Cornell Jones. This meets this requirement. |
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Complete |
Conduct 6-month and 12-month evaluation of the effectiveness of the newly created Office of Community Health and Safety. |
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The new office will look at call types to better understand how to respond to mental health calls. Similar for homeless services and other vulnerable populations. |
On-going |
Implement specific policies aimed at de-escalation |
The PBP has issued General Order 12-6 Use of Force, which requires de-escalation techniques. Policy was revised on January 5, 2021.(PDF, 213KB) |
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Complete |
Review and strengthen PBP definitions of and training on de-escalation for the purpose of improving the de-escalation techniques and approaches used by PBP going forward in their training academies for cadets, and provided in the ongoing professional development of all officers. |
The PBP Training Academy has developed a curriculum and teaches de-escalation techniques to all recruit classes. |
The PBP Training Academy has been working on, and will be providing additional de-escalation training bureau-wide this year. |
1 Year |
Increase investments in efforts that reduce community-level socioeconomic disparities (e.g. transportation, workforce development, affordable housing). |
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The Office of Community Health and Safety will not be directly responsible for the allocation of funding, but will identify the priority areas and make recommendations based on data. The Office of Equity, URA, and Mayor's Office will drive investment strategy with community. |
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PBP and Pittsburgh Public Schools (PPS) to ratify memorandum of understanding (MOU) within three months. Structure the MOU between PBP and PPS to reduce over-policing in PPS. |
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Revise and update the current MOU between the PBP and PPS. |
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Remove the seven discretionary offenses from Section IIA of the MOU to allow schools the discretion to determine the appropriate resolution. |
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Revise and update the current MOU between the PBP and PPS. |
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PPS will not issue summary citations to youth until issues around disproportionality can be addressed and clear guidelines can be established around if/when to issue summary citations to youth. |
PPS and the City of Pittsburgh are separate entities. PPS has its own police force to enforce state and local crimes. |
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Implement a pre-arrest diversion program |
The PBP participates in a Youth Diversion Pilot in Zone 1. |
PBP is evaluating ways to scale youth diversion across the city. The Office of Community Health and Safety and PBP are working in direct partnership with DHS and CONNECT to launch pre-charge diversion in Zone 1 with plans to scale across the city. |
6 months |
Advocate for and coordinate with a County Police Review Board. |
The PBP has had a Citizens Police Review Board for decades and is willing to work with Allegheny County as a model for this system |
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Complete |
Recruitment, Training, Education and Hiring |
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