CHIEF EARL BUFORD JR.
They called him “Sticky” because he never missed a pass on the football field at Westinghouse High School.
Earl Buford Jr., most known as Pittsburgh’s Chief of Police from 1992 to 1995 and the second minority to ever hold the position, died on July 25, the New Pittsburgh Courier has learned.
His family said he died peacefully. He was 81.
Born in Bluefield, West Virginia, on April 9, 1942, to Carrie Bristol and Earl Buford Sr., his father relocated to Pittsburgh in 1950. Earl Buford Jr. grew up on Lincoln Avenue in East Liberty, raised by his father and stepmother, Bertha Buford.
Following Buford’s graduation from Westinghouse in 1960, he joined the U.S. Army, serving for four years. He later completed an Associate Degree in Science from CCAC and a Bachelor of Arts from California State College, according to his official obituary from House of Law funeral home.
In 1968, Buford joined the Pittsburgh Police Department. He worked his way up from patrolman, detective, sergeant, commander, and assistant chief of investigations. In 1992, he reached the top of the summit—police chief for a city that rarely saw a Black man in that role; police chief for a city that had a substantially higher Black population than it has now; police chief for a city that was being introduced to “gangs with guns,” rather than “gangs with fists.”
EARL BUFORD JR., PITTSBURGH POLICE CHIEF FROM 1992-95
Buford was police chief during a very hostile time in Pittsburgh. A city that wasn’t used to a lot of gun violence, all of a sudden had been infiltrated with gang culture that was so prevalent in places like L.A., Chicago and New York. In 1993, a record 83 homicides occurred in Pittsburgh. Buford and his nearly 1,000 officers had to figure out the best ways to stop this “new” type of gun violence in Pittsburgh.
Buford retired from the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police after 28 years of service and then worked as security representative for the National Football League for many years.
When the uniform was off, his family said Buford was “very private in life but loved his family with passion. He spent most of his time with his grandchildren. His best times in life were at family gatherings, birthdays, family holiday celebrations, and of course, going to the buffet every opportunity he got. Earl also absolutely loved the water, every family vacation involved beachfront property or cruise ships to Caribbean locations. Earl purchased a boat in the 1970s and spent much time on the rivers of Pittsburgh. Earl owned several boats for more than 25 years and retired to a riverfront property where he lived for the remainder of his years.”
He married the late Elizabeth Ann Fleming in 1965 and together, they had two children; Mark Buford and Kelley Buford. Earl Buford Jr. had two other children; Earl Buford III and Tiffany Scott. Mark and Kelley blessed Earl Buford Jr., with four grandchildren; Jonathan Frazier, Darren Keys, Brittney Frazier, Leah Buford, and two great-grandchildren. His grandchildren affectionately knew Buford as “Buddy,” according to his obituary.
In later years, Buford became a faithful member of The Church of the Good Shepherd, in Hazelwood, where his brother-in-law, Rev. Huett Fleming, was the pastor. Reverend Fleming died in 2021.
At the end of Buford’s obituary, his family wrote: “Well done, good and faithful servant…well done! Know that you are loved and you will be truly missed!”
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