From Allegheny Center to Windgap, councilman wants police chief nominees to meet Pittsburghers where they are

A Pittsburgh councilman wants to make sure that residents across the city get a crack at grilling any police chief nominee before City Council votes on the appointment.

City Councilman Anthony Coghill, D-Beechview, said he hopes to introduce a bill within several weeks to require six public meetings — one in each police zone — where residents could talk with a prospective police chief.

The move would directly impact Christopher Ragland, Mayor Ed Gainey’s pick to lead the police bureau.

Ragland, a bureau veteran who is the city’s acting chief, has been fast-tracked by Gainey for the permanent job as the mayor tries to steady a police force that saw its last chief abruptly depart late last year.

Several groups, however, have urged the mayor to slow down. They are calling for more transparency and public participation in the selection process.

Coghill said the bill he plans to introduce was inspired by a push from advocates including Daylon Davis, who heads Pittsburgh’s NAACP chapter.

Davis last week emailed Gainey, council members and their staffers to urge them to host a public meeting before voting on Ragland’s nomination.

Davis told TribLive he has since talked with Gainey and council members, and everyone was responsive to the idea of more robust community engagement.

“We just wanted public process,” Davis said.

Ragland on Wednesday declined comment on Coghill’s proposal.

Councilwoman Theresa Kail-Smith, D-West End, said she believed it was important that residents have a chance to interact with police chief nominees and share their thoughts before elected officials make the final decision.

“It’s one of the most important positions in the city of Pittsburgh,” she said. “This is asking Pittsburghers what they think, and it’s worth taking a little time to do it right this time.”

Ragland, 53, of Downtown, has been at the helm of the bureau since former Chief Larry Scirotto resigned in November amid controversy over his plans to officiate college basketball while leading the force.

Davis said he does not have specific concerns about Ragland, a 30-year veteran who has risen through the ranks. But he feels the public should have a chance to interact with him, ask questions and provide feedback to elected officials.

“It’s important to provide public input, especially with the shortened timeline of not having a nationwide search,” Davis said.

Coghill’s planned bill would also mandate council to hold its own formal public hearing and interview with the candidate before voting.

Currently, there is no requirement for public hearings ahead of council’s vote on the police chief. The mayor submits his nomination to council, which can then choose whether to hold a public hearing or interview ahead of the vote.

“It’ll be quite a different process, a better process,” Coghill said of his legislation.

Ragland will likely be the first nominee subject to Coghill’s legislation requiring candidates tapped to lead the city’s bureaus and departments answer questions under oath.

When former Chief Scott Schubert retired in May 2022, Gainey launched a national search to consider replacements both within the bureau and around the country. Scirotto was chosen as chief in May 2023.

The process, which cost the city $80,000, was criticized by many as being secretive, with a group of advisers meeting in closed-doors sessions to choose their preferred candidate.

But some have also questioned Gainey’s actions in quickly choosing Ragland without launching an exhaustive search process or gathering community input before making his pick.

Olga George, a spokeswoman for Gainey, did not respond Wednesday to a request for comment on Coghill’s proposal to require a public process ahead of a vote.

Kail-Smith and Coghill said the measure isn’t meant to target Ragland; the same process would cover any future police chief nominees.

Coghill said Ragland is in a tough spot.

“He’s under the dark cloud the mayor’s created after the Scirotto thing,” Coghill said, adding he would back Ragland if he went through the public process and earned support from the public.

Coghill said he’s working to schedule the six meetings within an eight-week time frame. As council’s public safety chair, he intends to attend them all to hear from residents throughout the city.

“If we can take all that input, when it finally comes to us, we’ll be well-educated,” Coghill said.