Pittsburgh Public Schools Board Hears Resolution That Would Reduce The District's Officers
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - The Pittsburgh Public Schools Board heard a resolution to reduce the number of police officers in the district.
This comes after protests and calls for the district to get rid of police in Pittsburgh Public Schools.
Pittsburgh Public Schools has 22 school police officers. After recent calls for the removal of police in the city's school district, two of the officers gave their testimony to the school board Tuesday.
The board has heard nearly 250 public comments in the last couple of days. School board president Sylvia Wilson says more comments have been in favor of keeping the police officers in school than getting rid of them.
Protesters have said instead of police officers in schools, they would like more counselors, social workers and a community-led police review board.
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The officers say they've made arrests for drugs, weapons, trespassing and assaults.
The school police officers are not armed, but they are trained and say not having police in the schools would be hurtful for students.
"We are trained to interact and deal with the students," said Pittsburgh Public Schools Officer Alphonso Roberts. "We are trained in deesalation."
"We don't have firearms. We don't have mace. We don't have the taser," said Pittsburgh Public Schools Officer Marion Parker.
The resolution was introduced during a virtual board meeting and sparked a conversation about returning to in-person meetings. One of the board members said this conversation is too important to not consider having it in person.
Other board members said they only received the resolution shortly before the meeting and they need more time reading it before giving their input. Multiple board members emphasized having all possible related data before making decisions related to changes in school safety.
A vote is likely several weeks away.
The union that represents the police officers says it is surveying the teachers in the school system to get their thoughts about having school police.
