In response to concerns about downtown safety, the Pittsburgh Police have ramped up their efforts, with an increased presence meant to assure residents and visitors that the heart of the city is well-guarded. According to the recent City of Pittsburgh public safety report, the concerted action by various units, including the Downtown Public Safety Center and the Violence Prevention and Narcotics units, has resulted in a cumulative number of arrests and citations for the second week of July.
The statistics, which were made public early Monday, show that officers from the Downtown Public Safety Center alone were responsible for 29 arrests, along with issuing 36 non-traffic citations, a parking citation, and 3 traffic citations over the week. The Violence Prevention and Narcotics arm of the operation led to 5 additional arrests and 2 non-traffic citations. The Traffic unit, on the other hand, did not report any arrests but handed out 48 parking citations, and 5 traffic citations, and conducted 8 vehicle tows.
While the Pittsburgh Police Department has long been committed to maintaining public order, this surge in their presence downtown is against the backdrop of occasional critiques regarding the efficacy of law enforcement in the area. The department has aimed to prove through action—and weekly releases of data like this—that efforts to improve downtown safety are indeed substantial and ongoing.
