Pittsburgh City Council president says West End 'excluded' from public discussions about police chief search

Pittsburgh City Council President Theresa Kail-Smith on Wednesday said she felt her West End council district was “excluded” from conversations about what city residents hope to see in the city’s new police chief.

Mayor Ed Gainey’s administration held listening sessions over the past few weeks at Carrick High School, PPG Paints Arena in the Lower Hill District, Perry Traditional Academy in the North Side’s Perry North and the Community Empowerment Association building in Homewood to gather input from residents about the qualities they would like to see in a new police chief.

Former Pittsburgh police Chief Scott Schubert retired in July after leading the bureau since late 2016. Deputy Chief Thomas Stangrecki is serving as acting chief.

Kail-Smith said her constituents have been left out of the conversation, as no listening sessions were held in her district. It includes the neighborhoods of Banksville, Chartiers City, Crafton Heights, Duquesne Heights, Mount Washington, East Carnegie, Elliott, Esplen, Fairywood, Marshall-Shadeland, Oakwood, Ridgemont, South Shore, Sheraden, West End, Westwood and Windgap.

The nearest meeting to her district was held in Carrick.

“We have one of the highest numbers of police officers living in my district,” Kail-Smith said. “I certainly wonder if that’s why it was excluded.”

Public Safety Director Lee Schmidt said a separate meeting is scheduled to discuss the matter with police officers. Kail-Smith said that meeting should be open to the public so people can hear what officers have to say.

Schmidt noted that a virtual meeting was held that was open to anyone citywide. He did not offer a reason for why an in-person meeting wasn’t held in the West End.

About 25 people participated in the virtual session, Schmidt said. Overall, he said the meetings “unfortunately have not gotten the attendance we were hoping.”

The best-attended session was held in Homewood, where about 40 people participated, Schmidt said.

The city is looking to hire an independent firm — California-based Public Sector Search & Consulting Inc. — to spearhead the nationwide search for a new chief. The company will hold additional public meetings, Schmidt said.

Related:

• Pittsburgh Police Chief Scott Schubert to retire after nearly 30 years with bureau

• Community meetings set in search for next Pittsburgh police chief

• Pittsburgh City Council honors outgoing Police Chief Scott Schubert

Kail-Smith said she plans to host a public meeting in her district herself. Schmidt said he was willing to attend, and Councilman Ricky Burgess promised he’d be there to support Kail-Smith and her district’s residents.

Kail-Smith has often lamented that people in the neighborhoods she represents often feel left out from the rest of the city. She has said she wants to advocate more strongly for proper funding, outreach and resources for her district. On Wednesday, she said she was considering introducing legislation that would require the city to include all sectors of the city in future public discussions like the ones related to hiring a new police chief.

“You can’t say how inclusive you want to be and then exclude a whole sector of the city,” Kail-Smith said.

Schmidt said they have already heard some input about the qualities and qualifications Pittsburgh residents want to see in a new chief, but officials are open to hearing more perspectives.

“I think we did get good information and feedback,” Schmidt said of the meetings already held. “There’s no reason we couldn’t do the same thing in (District 2) if you want.”

City Council voted Wednesday to advance legislation that would award an $80,000 contract to Public Sector Search & Consulting to lead the national search. Kail-Smith abstained from the vote, but all other council members voted in favor.

The measure could be ready for a final vote as early as next week.

The city also has launched an online survey to gauge the community’s opinions on the next police chief.