Pittsburgh police will move to 12-hour shifts during election week

Pittsburgh Police will move to 12-hour shifts beginning the day before the Nov. 3 election and remain on that schedule for nearly a week, officials said Wednesday.

In an email, Public Safety spokeswoman Cara Cruz said the department “acknowledges that there is a heightened level of interest” in how police are preparing, and she said city authorities are working with county, state and federal authorities “to prepare for all contingencies.”

The 12-hour shifts will begin Nov. 2 and remain in place until Nov. 8, she said.

All pass days, personal days and holidays will be cancelled during that timeframe, she said.

The bureaus, she said, will not provide specific details surrounding plans for dealing with potential unrest during and after the election.