The sun beaming down on Point State Park was only slightly more noticeable than the pride with which Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto and police Chief Cameron McLay beamed as they listened to U.S. Attorney David Hickton announce the city had been selected to pilot a federal program aimed at reducing violence by strengthening police/community relations.
“The National Initiative for Building Community Trust and Justice is a partnership between the (U.S.) Department of Justice and nationally renowned criminal justice experts that will invest in training, evidence-based strategies, policy development and research to combat mistrust and mend bonds between the Pittsburgh police and the Pittsburgh community,” said Hickton at the March 13 press conference.
“Pittsburgh was chosen for this designation not because it is a problematic community, but rather because of our willingness, capacity and demonstrated ability to work together to address existing social tensions.”
Peduto said it was an honor to be selected as a pilot site for the program because it shows the city is moving in the right direction.
“It’s happening here,” he said. “It’s happening in church basements and in rec centers, but we can’t do it alone. Now we have the opportunity to create a national model, to create best practices for other (police) bureaus to follow.”
The six-city pilot program, funded through a $4.7 million grant, will focus heavily on police and community training in bias reduction, procedural fairness, racial reconciliation, and ultimately, violence reduction. Partners in the effort include the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, Yale Law School, the Center for Policing Equity at UCLA and the Urban Institute.
United States Attorney Eric Holder originally proposed the initiative in September, in the wake of Michael Brown’s fatal shooting by police in Ferguson, Mo. Hickton’s announcement followed the shooting of two police officers, also in Ferguson in March. The irony was not lost on McLay, who thanked his officers for their dedication and willingness to “improve our game.”
“These are challenging times for us. Facing public criticism and physical threats, the brave men and women in law enforcement are under attack,” he said. “Here in Pittsburgh, we are already mobilized. And I’m blessed to have community members asking me, what do you need and how can we help.”
Hickton said the details of how experts will establish baselines and training for police and community members is still being worked out, but the ultimate focus is on reducing community violence cooperatively.
“We have a common enemy—community violence. We’re on the same page,” he said. “The community wants aggressive and effective law enforcement. They just want to be part of it—not the target of it.”
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