Pittsburgh police officers will be out in force Saturday as the city hosts one of the largest St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in the nation, police Chief Jason Lando said Friday, though he declined to provide details.
Saturday’s holiday parade, which starts at 10 a.m., is taking place amid turmoil at home and abroad. A war rages in Iran and on Thursday, an armed man rammed his vehicle into a Jewish synagogue in a suburb of Detroit. Nobody was injured in the synagogue attack.
“We know there’s a lot going on in the world right now,” Lando told reporters Friday afternoon inside the bureau’s Downtown Public Safety Center. “The Bureau of Police is working very hard behind the scenes to make sure this is a safe event for everyone.”
Lando declined to cite specific manpower numbers, citing safety concerns, but he said more than the usual number of officers will be deployed Saturday to patrol Downtown Pittsburgh, as well as the city’s South Side and North Shore neighborhoods.
Lando said he plans to accompany officers patrolling South Side.
Roads around Downtown Pittsburgh will close at 7 a.m., Lando said. Motorists are being told to avoid Grant Street, Liberty Avenue and Boulevard of the Allies in the city’s central business district.
Police will be launching a “tag-and-tow” effort Friday night to clear Downtown roadways of any vehicles, Lando said.
The police chief said those in the city this weekend can communicate with officers by scanning QR codes placed around Downtown. He did not give additional detail.
“But, if someone puts down a suspicious package and walks away,” he added, “call 911.”
Lando also stressed police officers’ presence at special events will not be affected by the projected $30 million to $40 million budget shortfall Mayor Corey O’Connor announced Thursday.
“When it comes to our large-scale events, the No.1 concern is the safety of our residents,” Lando said.
