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Memo: Pittsburgh to establish Downtown Public Safety Center

Memo: Pittsburgh to establish Downtown Public Safety Center
DOWNTOWN PUBLIC SAFETY CENTER. MARCIE: THIS WOULD BE THE DOWNTOWN PUBLIC SAFETY CENTER AT 600 LIBERTY AVENUE. 18 PATROLMAN AND 4 SUPERVISORS ARE BEING ASKED TO RELOCATE HERE TO PATROL THIS AREA ON FOOT AND BICYLCLE AS A WAY TO DETER VIOLENCE >> I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GREAT IDEA. YOU GOT MORE POLICE IN THE AREA YOU GOT LESS CRIME. MARCIE: HARVEY BROADUS COMES DOWNTOWN EVERYDAY AND RECNTLY FOUND HIMSELF FEET FROM A CRIME SCENE. HE WAS ENCOURAGED TO HEAR THE CITY WILL ADD 22 OFFICERS TO THEIR DOWNTOWN OFFICE NOW KNOWN AS THE DOWNTOWN PUBLIC SAFTY CENTER OR DPSC. ACCORDING TO THE LETTER SENT FROM THE CITY TO PITTSBURGH POLICE, THE OFFICERS WILL FOCUS ON COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT HIGH VISIBILITY POLICE PATROLS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES. WHILE EVERYONE WE SPOKE TO AGREES THE VIOLENCE DOWNTOWN NEEDS TO END, THEY DON’T ALL AGREE THAT ADDING OFFICERS IS THE SOLUTION >> I THINK IF YOU’RE WILLING TO SHOOT SOMEONE, A COP IS NOT GOING TO SCARE YOU. IF YOU ARE GOING AROUND WITH THAT THOUGHT IN YOUR HEAD I DONT THINK POLICING IS GOING TO NECCESSARILY HELP. MARCIE: THE FOP PRESIDENT TELLS ME ADDING POLICE HERE WILL MEAN REMIVING THEM FROM OTHER CITY NEIGHBORHOODS. HE SAYS THE OFFICERS WHO APPLY TO WORK HERE WILL LEAVE AN EMPTY SPOT IN THE ZONE WHERE THEY WORK NOW. AT THIS POINT, WE DO NOT KNOW WHICH ZONES WILL BE IMPACTED. THE FOP PRESIDENT TELLS ME THE CITY IS REQUIRED TO RELOCATE THE SENI
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Memo: Pittsburgh to establish Downtown Public Safety Center
A memo has been sent to Pittsburgh police officers saying the city is establishing a Downtown public safety center and asking officers to sign up.Watch the report from Downtown: Click the video player above.This comes after several incidents in the city, including a shootout earlier this week.The memo, obtained by Pittsburgh’s Action News 4, says officers involved in the public safety center will focus on community engagement, high visibility police patrols and law enforcement services.They will operate out of the station on Liberty Avenue.In the meantime, Mayor Ed Gainey shared a letter to the downtown community, saying he plans to triple the number of officers downtown during peak hours of activity.His plan also includes establishing a collaboration between downtown law enforcement and security forces and launching violence reduction and job training initiatives in schools.FOP President Robert Swartzwelder said the officers that relocate downtown, will leave vacancies in the zones where they currently work. Swartzwelder said there are not enough officers to add in one area, without taking from another neighborhood. He joked that the mayor may have to resort to using cardboard cutouts.This is a developing story. Stay with Pittsburgh's Action News 4 for updates. Download the WTAE mobile app to stay connected with breaking news.

A memo has been sent to Pittsburgh police officers saying the city is establishing a Downtown public safety center and asking officers to sign up.

Watch the report from Downtown: Click the video player above.

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This comes after several incidents in the city, including a shootout earlier this week.

The memo, obtained by Pittsburgh’s Action News 4, says officers involved in the public safety center will focus on community engagement, high visibility police patrols and law enforcement services.

They will operate out of the station on Liberty Avenue.

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In the meantime, Mayor Ed Gainey shared a letter to the downtown community, saying he plans to triple the number of officers downtown during peak hours of activity.

His plan also includes establishing a collaboration between downtown law enforcement and security forces and launching violence reduction and job training initiatives in schools.

FOP President Robert Swartzwelder said the officers that relocate downtown, will leave vacancies in the zones where they currently work. Swartzwelder said there are not enough officers to add in one area, without taking from another neighborhood. He joked that the mayor may have to resort to using cardboard cutouts.

This is a developing story. Stay with Pittsburgh's Action News 4 for updates. Download the WTAE mobile app to stay connected with breaking news.