GOOD MORNING. AND WELCOME TO WTAE WTAE LISTENS. I’M SHANNON PERRINE THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH HAS A NEW TOP COP CHIEF LARRY SCARANO IS NOW SETTLING INTO THE ROLE. TODAY WE GET TO KNOW THE MAN BEHIND THE BADGE. CONGRATULATIONS, CHIEF. A UNANIMOUS YES. LARRY GIRARDEAU’S NOMINATION APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL IN MAY AFTER A NATIONWIDE SEARCH SPANNING NEARLY A YEAR. WE TAKE OUR TIME AND MAKE SURE WE DO IT CORRECTLY SO THAT WE DON’T MAKE THE MISTAKES. THAT’S WHAT WE DID. HE’S THE RIGHT GUY. ACCEPTING THIS JOB IS A HOME COMING. GERARDO IS FROM MONESSEN. HE’S ALSO NO STRANGER TO THE PITTSBURGH POLICE DEPARTMENT. WE WILL CAPTURE YOUR LIKENESS AND WE WILL IDENTIFY YOU AND WE’LL PROSECUTE YOU FOR IT. HE PREVIOUSLY CLIMBED THE RANKS, SERVING IN VARIOUS ROLES, INCLUDING ASSISTANT CHIEF. SCARANO ALSO BRINGS A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE TO THE POSITION. HE IS BLACK AND OPENLY GAY AS A MINORITY, I HAVE NEVER EXPECTED TO BE PROMOTED OR ELEVATED BECAUSE OF MY SEXUALITY OR BECAUSE OF MY ETHNICITY. IT’S BECAUSE I WORK HARDER THAN EVERYBODY ELSE. SCARANO SAYS HE DOES SEE DEPARTMENT DIVERSITY AS A BENEFIT BIT, BUT LAST YEAR, THE CITY OF FORT LAUDERDALE FIRED SCARANO AS CHIEF FOR WHAT WAS CALLED REVERSE DISCRIMINATION. IN OUR SIT DOWN, RECORDED RIGHT BEFORE HIS CONFIRMATION, WE ASKED SCARANO ABOUT THAT SITUATION ON AND HIS RECRUITMENT STRATEGY. PLUS, ONE MALE SHOT IN THE CHEST, SHOT OUTSIDE OF OLIVER CITYWIDE, TACKLING YOUTH VIOLENCE. SKARTADOS FIRST FULL DAY ON THE JOB, A 15 YEAR OLD IS SHOT AND KILLED OUTSIDE OLIVER CITYWIDE ACADEMY. I LOVE THE GROUND MY SON WALKED OFF. HOW THE CHIEF WANTS TO TURN THINGS AROUND AND DOWNTOWN STRATEGY. HOW TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE FEELS SAFE IN THE HEART OF THE CITY. EVERY POLICE CHIEF HAS A DIFFERENT APPROACH TO THIS ROLE. THEIR PERSONAL EXPERIENCES OFTEN DRIVING WHAT THEY BRING TO THE TABLE. SO WE’RE INTRODUCING YOU TO LARRY SCARANO, THE PERSON, AND LEARNING HOW HIS LIFE HAS SHAPED HIS POLICE PHILOSOPHY. I’M JOINED NOW BY PITTSBURGH’S NEW POLICE CHIEF, LARRY SCARANO. THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US TODAY. THANKS FOR HAVING ME. ALL RIGHT. SO WE’RE HERE AT THE PORTICO, THE CITY COUNTY BUILDING, PITTSBURGH. FIRST QUESTION, WHEN I SAY PITTSBURGH, WHAT COMES TO MIND? A VIBRANT CITY. I BELIEVE THIS IS MAYBE ONE OF IF YOU THINK OF WHEN YOU COME OUT OF THE TUNNELS AND THINK OF THE EXPLOSION WITH DOWNTOWN, IS I THINK IT CREATES SUCH A SUCH A EXCITEMENT AND THEN WHEN YOU LIVE HERE AND YOU GET TO SEE AND MEET THE PEOPLE AND HOW UNIQUE EACH OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS IS, IT’S PITTSBURGH’S A REALLY WELCOMING CITY. IT HAS ALL THE DYNAMICS OF A MAJOR CITY AND MAYBE WITH A LOT MORE INTIMACY AND A LOT MORE FAMILIARITY WITH WITH THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE WITHIN IT. I LIKE THAT. WHAT SHOULD PITTSBURGHERS KNOW ABOUT YOU? THAT I’M FROM HERE. I LOVE THIS POLICE DEPARTMENT. I LOVE THE COMMUNITY. I LIVE WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY AND AND THAT I LOOK FORWARD TO LEADING OUR ORGANIZATION, LEADING THE BUREAU TO TO 21ST CENTURY POLICING. AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, A MORE PROGRESSIVE APPROACH TO HOW WE ENGAGE OUR COMMUNITIES. MORE PROGRESSIVE APPROACH TO HOW WE COMBAT GUN VIOLENCE AND WE’RE A PROGRESSIVE APPROACH TO WHAT COMMUNITY POLICE PARTNERSHIPS LOOK LIKE. SO THAT’S THAT’S WHERE WE’RE GOING TO GO. ALL RIGHT. WE’LL TALK MORE ABOUT THAT. I WANT TO GET MORE TO ABOUT YOU. WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO BECOME A POLICE OFFICER? DO YOU REMEMBER HOW OLD YOU WERE? I WAS 13. I WAS. AND, YOU KNOW, I WAS I WAS TROUBLESOME AS A KID, BUT NOT BAD. LIKE I WAS GETTING INTO THINGS. MISCHIEVOUS, MISCHIEVOUS. YEAH. SO? SO, YEAH, NOT LIKE TO THE LEVEL OF DETENTION, BUT I WOULD GET INTO THINGS AND I MET A POLICE OFFICER IN MONESSEN MERCER COUNTY AND. AND HE TOOK A LIKING TO THIS 13 YEAR OLD KID, JUST AS YOU KNOW, AT THAT POINT, MY, MY STEP DAD AND MY MOM HAD SEPARATED. SO I WAS JUST LIKE, YOU KNOW, I’M IN THOSE FORMIDABLE YEARS AND I THINK I COULD HAVE GONE OTHER DIRECTIONS BECAUSE I HAD FRIENDS THAT DID OTHER THINGS THAT WERE BEYOND MISCHIEVOUS. AND HE JUST TOOK A LIKING TO ME. AND I ALWAYS LOOKED UP TO HIM BECAUSE HE WAS A ROLE MODEL THAT THAT AT THAT POINT IN MY LIFE THAT I DIDN’T HAVE ANYMORE. SO GOING INTO MY LATE, LATE TEEN YEARS, ADULT YEARS, WORKED ON THE EMS TRUCK MASIN HE WAS A PARAMEDIC, BUT HE WAS ALSO A POLICE OFFICER. LIKE THE POLICE OFFICER SIDE ALWAYS APPEALED TO ME AND SO I FOLLOWED A LOT OF THAT IN HIS FOOTSTEPS TO TO BECOMING A POLICE OFFICER. THAT IMPRESSION ON YOU TO A 13 YEAR OLD KID LIKE THAT WAS REALLY IMPRESSIONABLE AGE. YOU WANT YOUR OFFICERS IN PITTSBURGH TO CONNECT TO THE LARRY SERRATOS OF TODAY BECAUSE I THINK THAT’S WHEN WHEN YOU’RE IN THOSE THAT’S THAT DEVELOPMENT THE DEVELOPMENT YEARS. I THINK WE DON’T DO SUCH A GOOD JOB CONNECTING WITH WE’RE REALLY GOOD WITH KIDS LIKE THE 12 AND UNDER. WE HAVE A LOT OF PROGRAMS THAT SUPPORT THAT POLICE COMMUNITY INTERACTION, ESPECIALLY AT THAT LEVEL, WHETHER IT’S WITHIN SCHOOLS OR SOME OF THE MENTORING PROGRAMS WITH THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB. BUT WE MISSED THIS TEAM, THIS THIS WHERE THEY’RE IN THE PROBABLY THE MOST FORMATIVE YEARS OF THEIR LIFE. THEY’RE GOING TO START DETERMINING OR I GUESS FIGURING OUT WHAT THEIR RELATIONSHIP IS GOING TO BE LIKE AS AN ADULT. MORE IMPORTANTLY, WHAT’S THEIR RELATIONSHIP LOOK LIKE WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT? AND WE’RE NOT AVAILABLE IN THOSE MOMENTS. SO THEY’RE LEFT TO DETERMINE WHAT THAT TO THEIR OWN THEY’RE LEFT TO THEIR INFLUENCES THAT AREN’T THE POLICE AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, SOMETIMES AREN’T GOING TO BE SO POSITIVE WITH POLICE INTERACTION. PENS IN THOSE THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE IN THAT AGE BRACKET. SO COMMITTING TO MAKING THE INFLUENCES AND CONNECTIONS THERE, BECAUSE I THINK THAT’S ALSO THEN HOW YOU START TALKING ABOUT THE RECRUITING TREE AND WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE FOR SOMEONE THAT’S 13, 15, 17 TO WANT TO BE A POLICE OFFICER IN THE FUTURE. WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT YOUR OWN POLICING PHILOSOPHY THAT’S EVOLVED OVER YOUR CAREER OR OVER YOUR LIFETIME, IS THERE A CRYSTALLIZED MISSION THAT YOU HAVE WHEN IT COMES TO POLICE WORK AND YOUR VISION OF OF HOW IT CAN BE GOOD AND HOW IT CAN BE BETTER, HOW IT CAN BE EFFECTIVE? I’VE I THINK IT’S THE FUNDAMENTAL RESPONSE, THE LIKE THE, I GUESS THE CANNED PHRASE IS IT’S THE RESPONSIBILITY OF ALL 900 MEN AND WOMEN OF THE PITTSBURGH BUREAU OF POLICE. BUT IT IS THE PHILOSOPHY OR IT SHOULD BE THE PHILOSOPHY OF OUR PROFESSION THAT IT ALL 900 MEN AND WOMEN WITHIN THIS ORGANIZATION ARE FROM MY OFFICE TO THE NEWEST RECRUIT. HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO BUILD COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS. AND IN THAT YOU HAVE YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT OWNERSHIP AND PURPOSE AND THIS PARTNERSHIP CREATES OWNERSHIP AND PURPOSE. WHEN OUR OFFICERS KNOW THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS IN WHICH THEY PATROL BY NAME BY NAME, BY FACE. AND HOW DO YOU BUILD TRUST? IT’S BY SHAKING SOMEBODY’S HAND, MEANING SOMEBODY YOU NEVER MET. I CHALLENGE YOU ONE PERSON A DAY. IF YOU MET ONE PERSON, A DAY, WE HAVE 900 TIMES 365. IT’S YOU’VE MET 120,000 PEOPLE GENERICALLY. MATHEMATICALLY. RIGHT. BUT THAT’S IN FLUENCE. AND WHEN YOU HAVE THAT LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT, YOU HAVE THAT COMMITMENT TO THAT LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT. NOW YOU START WORKING ON PROBLEM SOLVING AND WHAT REALLY MATTERS TO OUR COMMUNITY. AND IN THAT THEN YOU TAKE OWNERSHIP. AND NOW OUR JOB HAS PURPOSE. STILL AHEAD, I WANT YOU TO DO YOUR JOB. DO IT WELL, DO IT BETTER TODAY THAN YOU DID YESTERDAY. DO IT BETTER TOMORROW THAN YOU DID IT TODAY. RECRUITING THE BEST OF THE BEST. WHO THE NEW CHIEF WANTS PATROLLING OUR STREETS. WELCOME BACK TO WTAE LISTENS, PITTSBURGH POLICE ARE DEALING WITH AN OFFICER’S SHORTAGE AND CHIEF GERARDO SAYS HE’S READY TO FIX IT. WE ASKED HIM HIS PLAN AND WHO HE WANTS TO SEE ON THE PAYROLL. LET’S TALK MORE ABOUT ABOUT RECRUITING. YOU HAVE A BIG JOB TO DO WHEN IT COMES TO FILLING ABOUT 100 POSITIONS, RIGHT. AND 900. IT SEEMS LIKE A GOOD NUMBER FOR YOU. SHOULD THAT NUMBER BE DIFFERENT? I THINK IT’S CLOSE. I THINK I HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO START LOOKING AT WHAT CIVILIANIZATION LOOKS LIKE TO US, WHERE WE HAVE CIVILIANS SITTING NOT IN PLACE OF BUT WITH POLICE OFFICERS DOING JOBS THAT ARE MORE SUITED FOR CIVILIAN STAFF, ANSWERING TELEPHONES, MANAGING THE PROPERTY ROOM, A LOT OF POLICE DEPARTMENTS OUR SIZE HAVE TO HAVE A CIVILIAN CRIME UNIT. THERE ARE THINGS THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE HAVE POLICE OFFICERS DOING THAT I THINK THEY’D BE BETTER SERVED OUT IN OUR COMMUNITY DOING THIS TYPE OF ENGAGEMENT. SOMEBODY LIKE ME WHO DOES NOT HAVE POLICE TRAINING, EXPENSIVE OF $85,000 A YEAR EMPLOYEE THAT’S ANSWERING TELEPHONES AND I DON’T CARRY A GUN AND A BADGE. WELL TRAINED. THEY’RE HIGHLY TRAINED INDIVIDUALS AND THEY’RE NOT DOING WHAT WE HAVE TRAINED THEM TO DO. WE’RE HAVING THEM FUNCTIONS THAT WOULD BE BETTER SUITED FOR OTHERS, WHETHER IT’S COMPUTER OR OPERATIONS AND THE TECHNOLOGY PIECE. OR AGAIN, MAYBE IT’S JUST ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANCE IN THOSE THAT WE CAN THEN REDIRECT THOSE OFFICERS INTO OUR PATROL RESOURCES FOR MORE PURPOSEFUL THINGS. OKAY. LET’S GET BACK TO GETTING THOSE RECRUITS THE BEST KIND OF PITTSBURGHERS, THE BEST KIND OF PEOPLE FOR THIS JOB, THIS VERY IMPORTANT JOB. HOW DO YOU DO IT? AND I WANT TO THINK ABOUT I THINK ABOUT THE PITTSBURGHERS WHO THOSE MAYBE THOSE 13, 14, 15 YEAR OLDS WHO ARE WATCHING YOU. RIGHT NOW. THEY’RE BLACK, THEY’RE GAY, THEY’RE MARGINALIZED IN ANY WAY WHATSOEVER. WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO HAVE THE POLICE FORCE? THERE ARE WOMEN THERE REFLECTED. WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO HAVE THE POLICE FORCE REFLECT WHO ACTUALLY LIVES IN PITTSBURGH? BECAUSE YOU TALK ABOUT LIKE THE DYNAMICS OF THE CITY, LIKE THE UNIQUENESS, THE COOLNESS, THE THE DIVERSITY WITHIN IT, AND YOUR POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS TO RESEMBLE THAT WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT DIVERSITY AND THOUGHT WHY WE ARE BETTER POLICE ORGANIZATION OR WHY IT IS MORE IMPORTANT TO BE REFLECTIVE OF OUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE NOW IT’S THOSE SHARED EXPERIENCES THAT WE OTHERWISE WOULDN’T BE PRIVILEGED TO, UH, TO SHARE TOGETHER AND GROW TOGETHER. AND, AND WE’RE GOING TO BE ENGAGED IN CRISES AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE A LEVEL OF TRUST FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE OFFICERS THAT ARE SHOWING UP. AND HOW DO YOU DO THAT? THEY HAVE SHARED EXPERIENCES. THEY COME FROM YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND ESPECIALLY IN UNDERREPRESENTED NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE WE HAVE A HIGHER POTENTIAL FOR CONFLICT BECAUSE OF THOSE DIMINISHED LEVELS OF TRUST OVER DECADES, MAYBE EVEN CENTURIES IN OUR PROFESSION. RIGHT. IT’S IMPORTANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT. SO TO SAY THAT WE ARE A WELCOMING POLICE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE WE WANT TO BUILD A DIVERSE ORGANIZATION THAT’S REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DIVERSE COMMUNITY THAT WE THAT WE LIVE IN, IS OF SIGNIFICANT IMPORTANCE. AND IN THAT I BELIEVE IT HELPS US MANAGE CRISIS AND SURVIVE CRISIS WHEN THEY OCCUR. IT ALSO IS MORE IT’S IT’S IT’S HOW YOU DEVELOP TRUST, HOW YOU BUILD RELATIONSHIPS, YOU BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEOPLE OF OF LIKE EXPERIENCES. AND I THINK IN THAT WE HAVE TO RECRUIT THAT WAY. WE HAVE TO WE HAVE TO FOCUS ON OUR WE HAVE ONE WE HAVE TO HAVE RECRUITING PLAN AND WE HAVE IT. WE ALLOW THAT TO BE THE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF, OF HUMAN RESOURCES. AND THEY DO A GREAT JOB. BUT IF I’M CONNECTING WITH THE 13 OR 19 YEAR OLD THAT’S THINKING ABOUT THIS PROFESSION, THEY DON’T WANT TO SPEAK TO A HUMAN RESOURCE PROFESSIONAL. THEY WANT TO SPEAK TO THE POLICE. THE PROFESSION IN WHICH THEY’RE SEEKING TO TO JOIN. SO IT HAS TO BE OUR RESPONSIBILITY. AND WE HAVEN’T DONE ANYTHING IN THAT SPACE FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS. SO THEN WE ARE QUESTIONING WHY THERE’S NOT A LEVEL OF INTEREST THAT OTHER CITIES WOULD SEE. WHY ARE WE WHY ARE SUBURBAN OFFICERS GETTING MORE APPLICANTS FOR THEIR POSITIONS THAN WE ARE? IT’S NOT THAT THAT’S A BETTER ENVIRONMENT, IT’S JUST THAT WE DON’T MARKET OURSELVES WELL ENOUGH TO THE COMMUNITY THAT WE SEEK TO TO EMPLOY THIS 100 OR SO OFFICERS THAT YOU HOPE TO GET ON THE STREETS HERE IN PITTSBURGH, YOU KNOW, SOMETIME SOON. SOME OF THEM WILL BE WHITE MEN, RIGHT? I MEAN, A LOT OF THEM, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE MICROSCOPE, IS GOING TO BE ON. YOU BECAUSE OF WHAT HAPPENED IN FORT LAUDERDALE. WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SAY ABOUT THAT? AND WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SAY ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WAS DID ANYTHING DID THAT CHANGE YOU IN ANY WAY? DID IT DID IT DID YOU LEARN ANYTHING FROM THAT THAT MOMENT? AND HOW WILL THAT SORT OF COLOR, WHAT YOU DO HERE IN PITTSBURGH, I GUESS YOU ALWAYS LEARN, RIGHT? SO LIKE THE LEARNING PART IS THAT I ALWAYS NEED TO BE COGNIZANT OF MY WORDS BECAUSE I SPEAK TO DIVERSITY VERY INTENTIONAL. I’M NOT I’M VERY UNAPOLOGETIC ABOUT THE THE DESIRE AND THE NECESSITY OF WHAT A DIVERSE POLICE DEPARTMENT LOOKS LIKE IN A MAJOR METROPOLITAN CITY. BUT IN THAT THAT I’VE GOT TO BE CAREFUL IN THESE CONVERSATIONS THAT IT DOESN’T YOU CAN’T PARSE PIECES OF WHAT I’VE SAID TO CREATE A NARRATIVE AND IN FORT LAUDERDALE, THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED. PEOPLE WERE TAKING WORDS FROM DIFFERENT INTERVIEWS AND DIFFERENT CONVERSATIONS AND THEN CREATE THIS NARRATIVE FOR NOT BEING SELECTED FOR. LAUDERDALE WAS I WAS AS SIMPLE OF A PROMOTION PROCESS AS THAT. WE HAD 15 PROMOTIONS AND NINE OF THEM WERE WHITE MEN. MY ASSISTANT CHIEF WAS A WHITE A WHITE HETEROSEXUAL MALE. AS AND SO, SO SIX OF THEM WERE EITHER GENDER OR ETHNIC MINORITIES, BUT THEY, THEY WERE WELL QUALIFIED. THEY WERE THE BEST OF THE SELECTION PROCESS. AND THE BEST WHITE MEN THAT PERFORMED ALSO WERE PROMOTED. SO IT’S JUST IT WAS CREATING AN ENVIRONMENT OF FAIRNESS. AND THOUGH THERE WERE A FEW THAT WERE NOT SELECTED, AND IT’S BECAUSE I DIDN’T BELIEVE THAT THEY MET THE STANDARD THAT THESE OTHERS HAD. SO PITTSBURGH’S NO DIFFERENT. ANYBODY THAT KNOWS ME FOR THE 23 YEARS I SPENT HERE, I WANT YOU TO DO YOUR JOB. DO IT WELL, DO IT BETTER TODAY THAN YOU DID YESTERDAY. DO IT BETTER TOMORROW THAN YOU DID IT TODAY. AND THOSE PEOPLE WILL RISE TO THE TOP AND IT’LL BE QUITE OBVIOUS WHEN YOU MAKE SELECTIONS THAT THEY’VE EARNED THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE IN WHATEVER POSITION THEY’RE ELEVATED TO. IS IT A BENEFIT THAT WHEN YOU ARE WELL QUALIFIED AND YOU’RE A MINORITY? YEAH, THAT’S A BENEFIT TO A POLICE DEPARTMENT. BUT AS A MINORITY, I HAVE NEVER EXPECTED TO BE PROMOTED OR ELEVATED BECAUSE OF MY SEXUALITY OR BECAUSE OF MY ETHNICITY. IT’S BECAUSE I WORK HARDER THAN EVERYBODY ELSE. WHEN WE WENT THROUGH THIS PROCESS, IT’S THE CHALLENGE WASN’T TO THE MAYOR TO HIRE A GAY CHIEF OR TO HIRE A BLACK CHIEF, PICK THE BEST CANDIDATE. AND IF THAT CANDIDATE HAPPENED TO BE A WHITE MAN, SO BE IT. IF IT HAPPENED TO BE A WOMAN, GREAT. AND THAT’S THAT’S THE CHALLENGE. AND THAT’S WHERE I STAND. AND THAT’S WHERE I ALWAYS STAND AS IT RELATES TO PROMOTIONS. STILL TO COME, THERE’S NO COMMUNITY, NO COMMUNITY IN THIS CITY SHOULD FEEL LIKE THEY’RE IN A WAR ZONE. THE CHALLENGES AHEAD. HOW’S CORRADO HOPES TO ADDRESS THE BIGGEST OBSTACLES. OUR CITY FACES. WELCOME BACK TO WTAE LISTENS OFFICER MENTAL HEALTH DOWNTOWN SAFETY. YOUTH VIOLENCE. THE NEW POLICE CHIEF ALREADY HAS A LOT ON HIS PLATE. HE SAYS HAVING A SOLID STRATEGY IN PLACE IS KEY. WHAT DO CURRENT POLICE OFFICERS NEED? I THINK WE’VE GOT TO BE WE’VE WE AND WHEN I SAY WE, I MEAN THE EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP TEAM, CITY ADMINISTRATOR LEADERS, THOSE THAT HAVE THE INFLUENCE HAVE TO BE VERY CONCERNED AND AND COGNIZANT OF THEIR WELLNESS. RIGHT. NOT JUST THEIR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, BUT THEIR THEIR PSYCHOLOGICAL AND EMOTIONAL STABILITY AT WORK AND AT HOME AND ENSURING THAT WE’RE MEETING THOSE NEEDS AS WELL. IT’S NOT LIKE IT’S NOT JUST MONEY AND IT’S NOT THE THE VERBIAGE IN THE CONTRACT THAT AWARDS X. IT’S ABOUT CARING FOR THEM. AND LETTING THEM KNOW THAT THEY’RE VALUED, THEY’RE RESPECTED, AND THAT BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF FEEDBACK LOOPS OR INPUTS IN TODAY’S WORLD, THAT THAT MAYBE YOU AND I DIDN’T HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE COMMENT SECTIONS, TWITTER AND THE CRITICISMS AND, AND THOSE SNIPPETS OF OF OFFICERS DOING THINGS THAT ARE ILLEGAL OR OUTSIDE THE LINES OF MORAL OBLIGATION. AND IN THAT THE THIS THIS INPUT AND THIS ECHO CHAMBER CREATES AN ENVIRONMENT THAT CAN BE UNHEALTHY SO THAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT ON STAFF PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES THAT THEY HAVE A SAFE SPACE THAT’S BEYOND EAP OR THESE PROGRAMS. THEY HAVE TRAINED PROFESSIONALS THAT SIT IN THE SPACE TO ENSURE THAT OUR OFFICERS MENTAL WELL-BEING IS BEING ADDRESSED BECAUSE I DON’T THINK YOUNG PEOPLE THIS GENERATION COMPARTMENTALIZES TRAUMA IN THE SAME WAY THAT MAYBE WE DID. AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, THEY SHOULDN’T HAVE TO. AND MAWADA IS AN AN OFFICER 1520 YEARS INTO THIS, CAN’T WAIT TO RETIRE. WELL, YOU’VE GOT TO THINK OF ALL THE THINGS THAT THEY’VE SEEN OVER THE LAST TWO DECADES, AND THERE’S NEVER BEEN AN A HEALING OR NEVER BEEN ANY TYPE OF EMOTIONAL ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS AFFECTS YOU AND NOT JUST PROFESSIONALLY, BUT PERSONALLY. AND YOUR EMOTIONAL AND MENTAL BEING MATTERS TO US. AND IN THAT WE’LL WE WILL CARE FOR YOU, NOT JUST PROFESSIONALLY, BUT WE WILL CARE FOR YOU PERSONALLY. WE WILL CARE FOR YOU WHEN YOU’RE AWAY FROM HERE. AND THOSE THINGS, I THINK, WILL MATTER. SO THEY NEED TO HEAR AND IT NEEDS TO BE A FOCUS OF OURS THAT YOUR WELLNESS IS A PRIORITY. AND I THINK THAT STARTS CHANGING THE NARRATIVE OF HOW THEY SEE THEMSELVES AS THEY PROGRESS THROUGH THEIR CAREER. HOW DO YOU MAKE DOWNTOWN EVEN THE PERCEPTION OF IT BETTER? IT’S WHEN YOU GOT TO RECOGNIZE IT’S THE HEARTBEAT OF THE CITY, RIGHT? IT IS. IF THIS FAILS, THEN ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS FAIL. NOT MAYBE NOT ALL. NOW WE’RE TALKING TO THE EARLIER POINT. IT’S REGIONAL THEN, RIGHT? IF DOWNTOWN FAILS. SO AND IT HAS SO IT’S ABOUT HAVING A STRATEGY. SO WE’RE GOING TO WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE THIS NEW DEPLOYMENT WITH OUR OFFICERS PATROLLING DOWNTOWN. WE’RE BRINGING THE PILOT PART OF THE CO-RESPONDER PROGRAM THAT SENDS OUR OFFICERS WITH OUR MENTAL HEALTH COUNTERPARTS FROM OCS. SO WE’RE INVESTING THE PUBLIC SAFETY INTO DOWNTOWN TO ENSURE THAT PEOPLE FEEL SAFE, EVEN IF THE THE NUMBERS WOULDN’T SUPPORT THE VIOLENCE IS OUT OF CONTROL. IF IT FEELS THAT WAY, IF YOU FEEL THAT YOU CAN’T WALK TO WORK IN THE MORNING WITHOUT BEING HARASSED OR HARMED, THAT’S THAT’S THAT MATTERS. SO THE VISIBILITY OF OUR OFFICERS AND THE THE AVAILABILITY, ACCESSIBILITY OF OUR OFFICERS, THAT NEW STATION OPENING UP IN DECEMBER IN IN ITS FULL OPERATION. WE’LL START PROVIDING RESOURCES TO THE DOWNTOWN THAT THEY DIDN’T HAVE PRIORITIZING OUR RESPONSES. SO IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE WAY IN WHICH WE RESPOND, WELL, NOW WE HAVE OFFICERS AVAILABLE OUT ON FOOT. THEY’RE ENGAGED IN PROACTIVE POLICE MEASURES FOR THOSE QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES. THEY’RE NOT TASKED WITH NON-ESSENTIAL POLICE SERVICES THAT WE’RE DEDICATING MORE OF OUR EFFORTS TO RECREATING AN ENVIRONMENT OF SAFETY BECAUSE IT MATTERS. AND IT IT MATTERS IN THE EVENING WHEN WE’RE TALKING ABOUT THE ARTS AND THE THEATERS, IT MATTERS IN THE DAY WHEN WE’RE TALKING ABOUT OUR COMMUTER POPULATION, THEN WE’RE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE WANTING TO RESIDE DOWNTOWN. WE’RE BUILDING, BUILDING AFTER BUILDING AND INVESTING IN DOWNTOWN LIVING. BUT WE FEEL SAFE THAT YOU FEEL SAFE WITH YOUR SIGNIFICANT OTHER TO WALK DOWN THE STREET AT NIGHT. AND IF YOU’RE GOING TO LIVE HERE, YOU BETTER. AND SO FOR EVERYTHING TO THRIVE, THERE IS OBVIOUSLY A PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITMENT THAT I BELIEVE WE ARE STARTING TO SEE AND WE WILL START TO ACHIEVE AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE REST OF THIS YEAR. SO WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT YOUTH VIOLENCE AND STEMMING THAT TIDE, WE’VE HAD, I WANT TO SAY A LOT OF 15 YEAR OLDS, 16 YEAR OLDS WHO THEIR PARENTS ARE PLANNING FUNERALS. WE ALSO HAVE VERY YOUNG PEOPLE, ALL 15 YEAR OLDS, PULLING THE TRIGGER IN THIS CITY AND TAKING LIVES. WHAT’S GOING ON AND HOW DO YOU AS POLICE CHIEF FIX THAT? IT’S ALL RELATIVE TO LIKE A RESPONSIBLE VIOLENT CRIME REDUCTION STRATEGY. AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE ONE IN PLACE. AND WE JUST HAVE IT. THE ENFORCEMENT ARM, WHICH IS NECESSARY, THE SOCIAL SERVICES ARM, WHICH IS NECESSARY, AND THE ENGAGEMENT WITH FAMILIES TO TELL THEIR TELL A MOM OR FATHER OR GRANDPARENT THAT THEIR SON IS IS ENGAGED IN THIS TYPE OF OF ACTIVITY, THIS TYPE OF VIOLENCE, BECAUSE OFTENTIMES THEY’RE NOT EVEN AWARE. RIGHT. BUT THERE’S NO STRATEGY. AND IF THERE’S NO STRATEGY, THERE’S NO COMMUNICATION. SO THERE’S NO OPPORTUNITY TO INTERVENE. AND WHEN THERE’S NO OPPORTUNITY TO INTERVENE, JUST LIKE SAFETY DOWNTOWN. NOW WE HAVE A 15 OR 16 YEAR OLD THAT DOESN’T FEEL SAFE AND IS SEEING THEIR FRIENDS AND FAMILY MEMBERS BE VICTIMS OF GUN VIOLENCE OR OR OFFENDERS OF GUN VIOLENCE. AND WHAT DO THEY DO? THEY ARM THEMSELVES. AND NOW WE HAVE PEOPLE, YOUNG PEOPLE THAT DON’T HAVE THE CAPACITY TO DEAL WITH STRESS AND CONFLICT IN A RATIONAL MANNER, RESOLVE ADDING TO TWO GUNS AS AS THE AS THE MEASURE IN WHICH HOW THEY RESOLVE THESE DISPUTES. AND THAT’S JUST UNACCEPTABLE. AND SO I DON’T WORRY I CAN’T BE OVERLY CONCERNED. I DON’T SAY I DON’T WORRY. I CAN’T BE OVERLY CONCERNED WITH THERE NOT BEING A HUMAN CENTER OR THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM DOESN’T IS NOT AS PUNITIVE AS WE WOULD LIKE IT TO BE OR EXPECT IT TO BE OR OR ALL OF THESE OTHER FACTORS THAT ARE BEYOND THE PITTSBURGH BUREAU OF POLICE’S OBLIGATIONS. I WORRY I CHARGE MY OFFICERS WE WILL DO OUR PART. AND THE SYSTEM, THE REST OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM SHOULD DO IT. AND IN THAT THERE IS AN ENFORCEMENT STRATEGY. THERE’S A THERE’S THERE’S A ENGAGEMENT WITH SOCIAL SERVICES. THERE’S AN ENGAGEMENT, A COMMITMENT TO THE FAMILIES TO KEEP THEIR KIDS SAFE. THAT’S ALL ANYBODY EVER WANTS. AND THERE’S NO COMMUNITY, NO COMMUNITY IN THIS CITY SHOULD FEEL LIKE THEY’RE IN A WAR ZONE, SHOULD ACCEPT VIOLENCE AS AN OUTCOME OF WHERE WE GROW UP. AND IT IMPACTS EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD, EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD. NOBODY’S IMMUNE TO IT. AND IT IMPACTS EVERY FAMILY, EVERY SCHOOL. SO IT’S ALL HANDS ON DECK, ALL FOCUSED TOWARDS THIS THIS CRISIS. AND I THINK IN THAT WE CAN IMPACT IT IN A POSITIVE WAY. YOU’RE WATCHING WTAE WTAE LISTENS. WE’LL BE RIGHT BACK. WELCOME BACK TO WTAE WTAE LISTENS. WHETHER YOU LIVE IN ONE OF PITTSBURGH’S NEIGHBORHOODS, WOODS OR ANY SURROUNDING COMMUNITY, TELL US ABOUT WHAT’S WRONG, WHAT’S RIGHT IN YOUR AREA. SO WE CAN LISTEN. YOU CAN SEND US AN EMAIL WTAE WTAE LISTENS. AT FIRST.COM. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AND HAVE A GREAT WEEK.