Sunday, March 16, 2025

ACTING PITTSBURGH CHIEF OF POLICE RESIGNS

By Bob Walsh

 

Pittsburgh Bureau of Police Chief Christopher Ragland said there will be 80 city officers on duty in Downtown Pittsburgh during Highmark First Night festivities on Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024.

Acting Chief Christopher Ragland

 
Christopher Ragland was the acting Chief of Police of Pittsburg, PA. until Tuesday of last week.  He resigned over unspecified demands that were being made of him that he considered to be unethical and immoral.

He asserted in local TV interviews that, when a leader is being pushed to do things that he believes are wrong, that leader has to be prepared to walk away.  That is what he did.

Ragland had been nominated previously to be the permanent Chief by Mayor Ed Gainey.  The former chief, Larry Scirotto, stepped down back in October for a full-time gig as a NCAA basketball referee.  (I never heard of the senior cop leaving for that sort of gig before.  You learn something new every day.)
 
 
Scirotto, a muscular man with close-cropped hair, walks purposefully while holding a basketball.
Larry Scirotto lost His Day Job as a Police Chief for Allegedly Discriminating Against White People
 
 
Ragland did say that his leaving was NOT due to any beef with the mayor. 

Assistant Police Chief Martin Devine will step in as the new Acting Chief for the nonce.

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