Fraternal Order of Police

An Allegheny County grand jury report released on Friday says the Pittsburgh Police command staff failed to properly conduct investigations following two officer-involved shootings, and stood by as Robert Swartzwelder, the president of Pittsburgh’s Fraternal Order of Police union, interfered with those investigations.

The state Supreme Court heard arguments Tuesday in an appeal that could decide whether Pittsburgh police officers have to live in the city.

In 2012, the state legislature passed Act 195, which said a municipality may require officers to live in city limits. The previous statute said cities shall have a residency requirement.

A year later, Pittsburgh voters passed a referendum requiring residency.

The Fraternal Order of Police argued residency falls under the category of “working conditions” and is subject to collective bargaining.

After more than 21 years in public safety, Sheldon Williams said he had little reaction to the news that the Pittsburgh Fraternal Order of Police endorsed Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.

Political recommendations are nothing new, he said, and don’t always carry a lot of weight for union members.

The Pittsburgh Fraternal Order of Police endorsed Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.

That vote was part of the national organization’s choice to endorse Trump, announced Friday. Pittsburgh FOP President Robert Swartzwelder wouldn't say how many officers cast votes during the August meeting. He would only say the vote represented the 730 officers who pay dues. He said he hasn’t heard any pushback from officers who may disagree with the endorsement.

An independent investigation into the Pittsburgh Police chief’s appearance at the Democratic National Convention has found no violation of city code. The Office of Municipal Investigation’s findings were released Friday.

After investigators reviewed city code, conducted interviews and reviewed emails, they found complaints against Chief Cameron McLay “unfounded.”

At a press conference on Monday, Mayor Bill Peduto acknowledged efforts by Pittsburgh Police Chief Cameron McLay to restore relationships between officers and the communities they serve since his hiring in in 2014, but said police need to work a lot harder to achieve the same stasis within their own bureau. 

Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto is celebrating a ruling by the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court, which overturned an arbitrator’s decision to allow Pittsburgh police officers to live outside the city.

Demonstrators gathered outside the City-County Building Thursday morning to protest police misconduct and petition for changes to the current contract between the City of Pittsburgh and its police force, while representatives of the Fraternal Order of Police presented contract negotiation arguments before an arbitration committee inside.