Pittsburgh residents vote to expand powers of Pittsburgh police review board

The independent board tasked with reviewing police conduct in Pittsburgh received an endorsement from voters Tuesday, who overwhelmingly voted to expand the board’s power.

More than 76% of voters supported a ballot question expanding the board’s power, according to unofficial, incomplete election results as of Wednesday afternoon.

“It’s a very resounding mandate to the board,” Beth Pittinger, executive director of the Pittsburgh Citizen Police Review Board, said Wednesday. “I think it’s an overwhelming vote of confidence in the capabilities for the board.”

The group will also be allowed to do performance audits of the city’s Police Bureau and members of the board would be prevented from being removed except for just cause, pending approval of City Council. Police officers will be required to participate in investigations of the board.

The measure is part of a variety of police reforms the city enacted this year.

In July, council approved placing the question on the ballot.

The legislation was supported by council, Mayor Bill Peduto and public safety officials.

Councilman Ricky Burgess has called it an important move toward reconciliation and healing.

“We are grateful for the support of the people of Pittsburgh. I believe we can work together to facilitate police reform,” Burgess said. “This is part of our agenda and campaign to make Black Pittsburgh matter.”

He looks forward to working with Peduto and the board to implement the changes, Burgess said.

“We heard the voice of the protesters, the young people in Pittsburgh and across this country and we are going to come together as a city and reimagine police,” he said. “This is simply one small step in helping us accomplish this task.”

The board was created 23 years ago and is an independent agency created and funded by the city.

Seven city residents serve on the board, which was formed in 1997. They aren’t paid.

The mayor appoints three members and the other four members are nominated by city council. Two members of the board must be law enforcement professionals, but none can be employed in law enforcement at present.

The ballot question was one of many police reforms that city leaders took up this summer, spurred in part by community activism since the May 25 killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police.

City council also created a racial equity commission and committed itself to a 10-point plan to address racial inequities. Council also banned the use of chokeholds by police and the use of facial recognition software in the city.

The city also created an Office of Community Health and Safety to help deal with problems that are now dealt with by police.

Pittinger said that voters’ support of the measure to expand the CPRB’s power shows that people want police to be held accountable as they also demand that policing policies and practices are changed.

“They want something that is responsible to the community’s needs and keeps everyone safe,” Pittinger said.