Pittsburgh to hold public reception for new police Chief Larry Scirotto
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Pittsburgh residents will have an opportunity to meet newly installed police Chief Larry Scirotto during a public reception Wednesday.
City Council is hosting the reception from 3 to 6 p.m. on the first floor of the City-County Building at 414 Grant St., Downtown.
Council unanimously approved Scirotto as the new chief last month, weeks after Mayor Ed Gainey nominated him for the position.
Council initially planned to hold a public hearing to gather residents’ input on Scirotto ahead of its vote on his nomination. Council President Theresa Kail-Smith, D-West End, said council members felt their concerns and questions had been addressed during an hourslong public interview held before the vote and opted to nix the hearing.
Kail-Smith said she preferred a public reception format where Scirotto and residents could talk more informally. Public hearings do not allow for back-and-forth discussion, as residents are simply given three minutes to speak and typically do not get a chance to ask questions.
Scirotto, 49, retired from the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police in 2018 as an assistant chief after serving in various roles, including as an officer in the K-9 unit and the major crimes division. He spent six years as the city’s Zone 5 commander. He spent 21 of his 23 years working in law enforcement in Pittsburgh.
He served briefly as chief of Fort Lauderdale’s police department before resigning last year amid controversy over promoting minorities. He has filed a wrongful termination suit against the Florida city and said the promotions were based on merit.
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