Mayor Peduto Defends Controversial Police Chief Photo
PITTSBURGH (KDKA/AP) – Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto took to national television news to defend Police Chief Cameron McLay who is under fire for a controversial photo.
Peduto defended the new police chief on Fox News during an appearance on "The O'Reilly Factor."
EXCLUSIVE: Chief McLay Addresses Controversy
Peduto says appearing on the show was a no-brainer.
"I knew that if I didn't go on, it would have probably been four minutes in which the city looked bad," he said.
Host Bill O'Reilly asked Peduto Wednesday night whether Chief Cameron McLay was "really wise" to pose with a sign on New Year's Eve that read, "I resolve to challenge racism work" with a Twitter hashtag saying "end white silence."
McLay didn't create the sign, but posed with it at a city celebration.
Some people have supported the chief for having his photo posted on social media with the sign, but the city's police union president has said it suggests police, especially white officers, are racist.
McLay has apologized to his officers if they were offended by the gesture, and Peduto echoed the chief's explanation that he is just trying to start a dialogue about relations between the police and the city's black community and about race relations in general.
"I don't know of any one problem that any one of us face - either personally or systematic problems - that isn't addressed by first having an open and honest dialogue," Peduto said during his national TV appearance of about 5 minutes.
When O'Reilly asked if it was wise for McLay to pose for the photo in light of nationwide protests over the deaths of unarmed black men by white police officers in Ferguson, Missouri, and New York City, Peduto said: "I would argue the other way."
"There is a danger, almost any action you take, especially on controversial issues, but there is also an opportunity," the mayor said. "I do believe that there is a power that I have, power that the police chief has, to up the dialogue."
Peduto says the chief is just trying to create an open and honest dialogue about relations between the police and the city's black community.
KDKA's Jon Delano Reports:
At a police ceremony on Thursday, Chief McLay seemed to acknowledge the fallout, saying he was working to close gaps of trust with the community.
"We're also going to take on the challenge of repairing the gaps of trust and morale within my own organization," he said. "We're going to rebuild the integrity of the leadership systems and move this organization forward speaking with one voice as a whole."
Some people have supported the chief for having his photo posted on social media with the sign, but the city's police union president says it suggests police - especially white officers - are racist.
FOP President Howard McQuillan told KDKA's Marty Griffin: "The chief is calling us racists. He believes the Pittsburgh Police Department is racist. This has angered a lot of officers."
Police Chief Cameron McLay released the following statement about the allegations:
"I was hired to restore the legitimacy of the police department. I did not seek these young activists out. I was stopping for coffee at First Night. Their message is not anti-anybody. It is simply a call for awareness. The photo was a great, spontaneous moment in time. Please join dialogue for community healing."
Police officers were so outraged by the photo, they thought it was photoshopped, but the police chief confirmed it was real.
Meanwhile, Peduto has declared Friday Police Appreciation Day, urging residents - including protestors - to thank police personally and post a blue light at home like he's doing in the City County Building.
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