Larry Scirotto, nominee for the post of chief of the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, speaks at a press conference announcing his nomination on May 3, 2023, in the lobby of the City-County Building, Downtown. He is flanked by (from left) mayoral spokesperson Maria Montaño, Public Safety Director Lee Schmidt, Mayor Ed Gainey and others. (Photo by Eric Jankiewicz/PublicSource)
Larry Scirotto, who spent 23 years in Pittsburgh’s police bureau, will take the reins of a department short on personnel and public trust. His recent stint as a chief in Florida had a messy ending.
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In one of his biggest decisions so far as Pittsburgh mayor, Ed Gainey announced he is nominating Larry Scirotto to be the city’s next chief of police. The appointment capped a search that lasted almost a year and still requires City Council’s approval.
“His deep ties in the city and his deep ties in the bureau, and his outside perspective, make him the right choice,” Gainey said at a press conference Wednesday.
Scirotto, 49, will take over the bureau at a time when internal pressures and staffing issues, along with the desire for reform that swept Gainey into office two years ago, will make the chief’s job a challenging one.
Brandi Fisher, the president of the Alliance for Police Accountability, said she has worked with Scirotto in the past. “I believe him to be an equitable person,” she said in an interview with PublicSource.
“We’re hoping Larry is a person that is reasonable and someone we can work with to make the changes that people want to see in this region,” Fisher said.
Scirotto spent 23 years with the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, reaching the rank of assistant chief. He headed the Professional Standards Branch, which was responsible for training, wellness, safety and policy development, and was involved in efforts to increase diversity on the force.
“Man, it’s good to be home,” said Scirotto.
In 2017, he was reportedly a finalist for the top job in the Portland, Oregon, police department, but didn’t get the nod.
In 2021, he won the post of chief of Fort Lauderdale’s department. But he was fired in 2022, after around seven months on the job. Reports indicated that he was dismissed for hiring and promotions policies that were too focused on minority candidates. He sued the city for wrongful termination. The city in late April filed a motion to dismiss, which has yet to be ruled on.
In his civil complaint against Fort Lauderdale, Scirotto alleged that city officials repeatedly urged him to increase diversity in the department before and after he was hired. Of the 15 people he promoted, he said, nine were White men.
Scirotto said at the press conference that Fort Lauderdale asked him “to create a fair environment and a diverse environment.” He said his legal team will determine the best course of action regarding his lawsuit against that city.
Asked about priorities for personnel decisions, Gainey said his administration’s focus is on quality.
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