Pittsburgh police in Pennsylvania will now redirect lower-priority calls to a Telephone Reporting Unit, focusing on in-progress emergencies.
Operational changes include transitioning officers to four 10-hour shifts per week for better resource allocation and officer well-being.
Chief Larry Scirotto wrote in a statement, “An additional day away from work each week to focus on family, friends, or outside pursuits is key to creating a healthy workforce and contributes to the Bureau’s goal of not only recruiting new officers, but retaining them for the long haul.”
Resident Ray Matthews said, “It’s kind of the whole point of the police force, isn’t it? You know, when you call them, they’re supposed to be there.”
He continued, “That’s the whole point. If you call and they don’t come, what’s the sense in having them at all, you know what I mean?”
Councilman Anthony Coghill said, “When it comes to harassment and things of this nature, you better have a police officer there.”
“That’s what the public expects. That’s what I expect out of our city,” added the lawmaker.
While aimed at improving recruitment and retention, critics voice concerns, emphasizing the public’s expectation of police presence for certain situations like harassment.
