Pittsburgh City Council to hold public hearing on Ragland

Pittsburgh City Council will host a public hearing to give residents a chance to share their opinions on acting police Chief Christopher Ragland before they vote on whether to confirm him as permanent chief.

This comes after the Pittsburgh branch of the NAACP asked city leaders to allow for a public forum before officials take final action.

“I want to hear personally from the public as to what they expect out of our next chief,” Councilman Anthony Coghill, D-Beechview, said as he formally called for a public hearing during a Tuesday council meeting. “There’s really strong opinions about this.”

A date for the hearing has not yet been scheduled, but Coghill said it would take place before council votes on Ragland’s appointment. Council also will publicly interview Ragland under oath.

“I think my constituents want to have a voice in this,” Coghill said.

Councilwoman Theresa Kail-Smith, D-West End, also advocated for more public process ahead of Ragland’s confirmation. She said it’s nothing personal about Ragland but rather an effort to ensure Pittsburghers have a say in who takes the helm of the city’s police bureau.

“The public needs to have a voice,” she said.

Gainey last week announced that he was nominating Ragland, 53, of Downtown, to serve as permanent police chief. He has served as acting chief since former Chief Larry Scirotto resigned in November amid controversy over his plans to officiate college basketball games while serving as chief.

When asked Tuesday whether he would support pausing Ragland’s appointment to first permit public input, Gainey told TribLive, “I’ve been one of the most transparent mayors this city’s ever seen. I’m very engaged with community engagement. But there are also some times as the CEO of this city that I have to make decisions because it’s in the best interest of the city.”

Gainey in 2022 launched a monthslong national search to consider candidates within the bureau and nationally before he picked Scirotto to lead the bureau. That process was criticized as being secretive.

Gainey landed on Ragland much more quickly to replace Scirotto. City leaders did not launch the type of expansive national search they had conducted last time a new chief was named.

Also criticizing the pace and process on Tuesday were the Allegheny County Democratic Black Caucus and the City of Pittsburgh Republican Committee.