Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto Issues Response To Demands For Police Accountability From 'Black Activist and Organizer Collective'
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto has responded to recent calls for more police accountability.
Members of the Black Activist and Organizer Collective delivered their letter and list of demands to the Mayor and Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald last week.
Some of those demands included defunding the police and removing police from all schools.
Mayor Peduto responded that he created or helped build groups and organizations that support black communities and children.
Mayor Peduto's full response can be read at the following link.
He acknowledged that the COVID-19 pandemic created even more challenges for ethnic communities and says more work needs to be done.
Other demands from the collective included demilitarizing police, ending cash bail, and the city's partnership with Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
When it comes to disbanding all private police departments, Mayor Peduto says that's something the city of Pittsburgh has no authority over, but he does say he will advocate for accountability for all police departments .
The last demand is to create an independent, fully-funded, civilian review board.
Mayor Peduto says he fully supports that.
Peduto announced his support for the "8 Can't Wait" campaign earlier this month. It is aimed at decreasing police brutality through eight different reform policies.
