In the Mon Valley, police fragmentation means big differences in pay, policies and public information
Oct. 1, 2018
An East Pittsburgh police officer stands outside the borough community center during the monthly council meeting on Aug. 21. (Photo by John Altdorfer/PublicSource)
The day homicide charges were filed against police officer Michael Rosfeld for the fatal shooting of Antwon Rose II in East Pittsburgh, Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala Jr. made a startling statement. Not only did he believe Rosfeld acted criminally, but he also said East Pittsburgh’s police department lacked policies to dictate how Rosfeld should have acted in the crucial moments before he fired at Rose, who was unarmed and fleeing.
Because police have the power to kill, policies on when officers should shoot and when they must abstain are among the most important documents for officers in any department. But as Zappala explained, East Pittsburgh didn’t have policies “for anything, as far as we know.”
PublicSource made an independent request for policies held by the East Pittsburgh police. The department similarly could not provide PublicSource with any policies guiding use of force, firearms or de-escalation strategies. Our request also inquired about standards of hiring and disciplining officers as well as the process by which residents can lodge complaints. The borough wrote in response to PublicSource’s request that if the policies we requested did exist, it would not release them publicly because of ongoing investigations and litigation.
Jump to interactive: See what each of the
15 departments was willing to share
To understand how East Pittsburgh compares to others in the area, PublicSource requested the same information of several other departments in the Mon Valley, as well as larger nearby departments, such as Monroeville, Penn Hills and Wilkinsburg to provide context. We also sought records of complaints and force incidents since 2013 and called the departments to learn basic information about their size, pay and benefits. While pay impacts a department’s ability to attract and keep experienced officers, treatment of residents hinges not on pay but on training and accountability.
The responses reveal that East Pittsburgh seemed to be unique in failing to have foundational policies. But they also show the fragmented, disparate reality of policing in the communities around East Pittsburgh, where police forces range in size from fewer than 10 officers working part time to more than 50 officers working full time on salary. Starting pay is as low as $9.50 an hour, with no medical benefits, in Rankin. In Penn Hills, new officers get a yearly salary of $66,500 with benefits. The figures listed reflect an officer’s pay from their first day, which generally increases after a training or probationary period.
Qualifications also vary, with some departments requiring college and years of law enforcement experience and others requiring little more than state-mandated certification, which stipulates that officers must attend a training academy and be deemed physically and psychologically fit for patrol.
Meanwhile, several departments refused to release information on use of force and other policies, while others freely explained how officers decide when taking a life is justified. Some departments refused to release information on resident complaints and incidents where officers used force, though most who complied had few records.
Lastly, two departments did not comply with our records requests — Penn Hills and Wilkinsburg. The departments only provided general information on department size and pay.
See what each of the 15 departments was willing to share:
Braddock
Department size: 12 officers, including chief.
Full-time officers: None.
Part-time officers: 12 officers.
Starting pay: $11.80 per hour.
Medical benefits: No.
Use-of-force policy: Refused to release, claiming disclosure could threaten public safety.
Shooting policy: Refused to release, claiming disclosure could threaten public safety.
De-escalation policy: Refused to release, claiming disclosure could threaten public safety.
Disciplinary policy: Refused to release, claiming disclosure could threaten public safety.
Resident complaint policy: Braddock provided a policy outlining the complaint procedure, explaining that a complaint should be taken by the highest-ranking officer on duty. A person making a complaint must write it out and have it affirmed before a notary public, which generally incur a fee. Complaints will then be directed to the chief of police, or if it involves the chief, to the borough’s police committee and borough manager.
Hiring qualifications: Braddock requires that applicants be 21 years of age and have a high school diploma The policy states that applicants can be denied if they’ve been dismissed from public service for misconduct or convicted of a crime involving “moral turpitude.”
Resident complaints: Refused to release, claiming any records are not public.
Records of force incidents: Refused to release, claiming any records are not public.
Records of officer shootings: No incidents.
Braddock Hills
Department size: 19 officers, including chief.
Full-time officers: 2 officers, including chief.
Part-time officers: 17 officers.
Starting pay: $16.55 per hour.
Medical benefits: No.
Use-of-force policy: Braddock Hills provided a detailed use-of-force policy, which includes several alternatives to deadly force on a 5-step range. Deadly force can only be used if an officer “reasonably believes” it is necessary to prevent serious injury or death or in specifically defined circumstances involving the possibility of serious injury or death if immediate action is not taken. The policy says: “IF IN DOUBT, DON’T FIRE.”
Shooting policy: Covered in force policy.
De-escalation policy: The borough did not provide a separate policy but includes related information in its force policy. That policy outlines alternatives to more serious force and explains that chemical sprays and batons should only be used to avoid escalation to additional force and not as tools of intimidation.
Disciplinary policy: Braddock Hills provided a disciplinary policy that outlines specific types of conduct with the levels of punishment. Discipline ranges from oral reprimand for less serious conduct to loss of rank or dismissal for serious problems, including incidents involving drugs or firearms. The policy further says criminal conduct is punished by firing or arrest.
Resident complaint policy: Resident complaints in Braddock Hills are investigated by the chief, unless complaints are already resolved by a ranking officer with the chief’s approval. The department’s disciplinary policy provides additional information on how misconduct is handled.
Hiring qualifications: No written policy.
Resident complaints: No records.
Records of force incidents: No records.
Records of officer shootings: No records.
Churchill
Department size: 9 officers.
Full-time officers: 9 officers.
Part-time officers: None..
Starting pay: $43,298.50 salary.
Medical benefits: Yes.
Use-of-force policy: Refused to release in full, claiming disclosure could threaten public safety. The borough released documents guiding the response to officer-involved shootings.
Shooting policy: Churchill provided a policy that requires an officer to file a report if they fire their weapon but nobody is injured. The policy outlines investigative protocol and explains that officers are placed on administrative leave if a shooting causes serious injury or death. Shootings are reviewed by an internal review board.
De-escalation policy: No written policy.
Disciplinary policy: Churchill provided a disciplinary policy that outlines specific types of conduct with the levels of punishment, from oral reprimand for low-level infractions to suspension for more serious infractions or dismissal for conduct such as accepting bribes or violence against suspects.
Resident complaint policy: No written policy.
Hiring qualifications: No written policy.
Resident complaints: Refused to release, claiming any records are not public.
Records of force incidents: Refused to release, claiming any records are not public.
Records of officer shootings: Refused to release, claiming any records are not public.
East Pittsburgh
Department size: 7 officers, including chief.
Full-time officers: Only the chief.
Part-time officers: 6 officers, including Michael Rosfeld.
Starting pay: $13 per hour.
Medical benefits: None.
Use-of-force policy: None exists. (Note: Following a July council meeting, East Pittsburgh Mayor Louis Payne said the borough did have some policies but that they were not up to date. He did not specify what the policies covered. None were considered responsive to our requests).
Shooting policy: None exists.
De-escalation policy: None exists.
Disciplinary policy: None exists.
Resident complaint policy: None exists.
Hiring qualifications: None exists.
Resident complaints: None provided.
Records of force incidents: None provided.
Records of officer shootings: None provided.
Edgewood
Department size: 16 officers, including chief.
Full-time officers: 9 officers.
Part-time officers: 7 officers.
Starting pay: $15.45 for part-time officers per hour; $26.10 for full-time officers per hour.
Medical benefits: Yes, for full-time officers.
Use-of-force policy: Edgewood provided a detailed use-of-force policy, which includes several alternatives to deadly force on a 6-step range. The policy states that deadly force is only appropriate to prevent death or serious bodily injury or if a fleeing suspect who committed a forcible crime, such as homicide or assault, poses an “imminent danger.” The policy states that a “fleeing felon should not be presumed to pose an immediate threat…”
Shooting policy: Covered in force policy. The department also provided a policy that governs the carrying of patrol rifles, explaining that they should generally be deployed only if there is an “imminent risk” of a deadly force encounter.
De-escalation policy: No policy provided. De-escalation is mentioned in Edgewood's force policy, which says officers should use the type of force or technique to best de-escalate a situation.
Disciplinary policy: Edgewood provided a disciplinary policy that outlines six types of misconduct that can result in rank reduction, suspension or termination. The criteria ranges from prohibited political activity to violation of official duty and criminal activity.
Resident complaint policy: Edgewood provided a policy outlining the complaint procedure, explaining that a complaint should be taken to an officer’s supervisor or the highest-ranking officer on duty. Supervisors can attempt to resolve complaints but should not dissuade a citizen from filing a complaint.
Hiring qualifications: Edgewood’s policy states that candidates must be 21 years of age, possess a high school diploma or GED, four years of post-secondary education or three years’ experience in law enforcement. The policy explains the hiring process from start to finish, from advertising the job opening to interviews and making the hire.
Resident complaints: No incidents.
Records of force incidents: Edgewood provided two incident reports. In the first incident, from August 2016, an Edgewood officer responding to a suspicious activity call used a Taser on a suspect who did not comply with orders and “ripped his hands” from the officer’s grip. The suspect was first taken to the ground using an arm-bar takedown and then Tased after failing to comply and after being warned, according to the report. No injuries were reported. In the second incident, also from August 2016, a Taser was used on a suspect in Wilkinsburg after an Edgewood officer arrived to assist on a violent domestic call. The officers previously pointed their guns at the suspect because they could not see his hands (the report is unclear about which officers pointed their firearms and who used the Taser). No injuries were reported.
Records of officer shootings: No incidents.
Forest HIlls
Department size: 12 officers, including the chief.
Full-time officers: 9 officers.
Part-time officers: 3 officers.
Starting pay: $21 per hour for part-time officers. $57,738 salary for full-time officers.
Medical benefits: Only for full-time officers.
Use-of-force policy: Forest Hills released a redacted force policy, which blacks out several portions including the range of force options before deadly force and protocol for reporting force incidents. The readable portions cover general definitions, investigation protocol for force incidents and general training requirements.
Shooting policy: The force policy addresses shooting incidents and explains the procedures for responding at the scene. The policy explains how incidents are investigated, including by outside law enforcement.
De-escalation policy: Refused to release, claiming disclosure could threaten public safety.
Disciplinary policy: Forest Hills provided a policy explaining the disciplinary procedure. The document does not include information on specific types of misconduct or possible punishment.
Resident complaint policy: No written policy.
Hiring qualifications: Forest Hills requires that applicants be 21 years of age, have a high school diploma or GED and either 60 hours of college-level education plus at least 2,080 hours of experience as a sworn officer, or at least the equivalent of five years’ experience as a sworn officer.
Resident complaints: Refused to release, claiming they are non-public investigative documents
Records of force incidents: No records.
Records of officer shootings: No records.
Monroeville
Department size: 45 officers, including chief.
Full-time officers: 45 officers.
Part-time officers: None.
Starting pay: $25 per hour.
Medical benefits: Yes.
Use-of-force policy: Monroeville provided a detailed use-of-force policy, which includes several alternatives to deadly force on a 7-step range. Deadly force should only be used to prevent death or serious bodily injury or if a fleeing felon poses an imminent risk to the community.
Shooting policy: Monroeville provided a policy that requires an officer to file a report any time their weapon is fired outside of training. Shootings are examined by a review board to determine if department standards were followed or if any laws were broken.
De-escalation policy: No policy provided, though de-escalation is mentioned in Monroeville’s force policy, which lists alternatives to consider before lethal force.
Disciplinary policy: Monroeville provided a policy that details the four classifications of disciplinary problems, ranging from minor rule violations (including rudeness, failure to report a bribe offer) to serious rule violations (including tampering with evidence to criminal behavior). Punishment ranges from on-shift counseling to termination.
Resident complaint policy: Monroeville requires that complaints be submitted in writing, signed and delivered to the municipality, and that the individual be willing to confront the officer. Complaints related to non-criminal conduct must be filed within three months.
Hiring qualifications: Monroeville did not provide a written policy. However, the department requires that applicants are 21 years old. A college education or previous work experience is not required.
Resident complaints: Refused to release, claiming they are non-public written criticisms of employees and investigative documents.
Records of force incidents: Refused to release, claiming they are not public.
Records of officer shootings: Refused to release, claiming they are not public.
North Braddock
Department size: 13 officers, including chief.
Full-time officers: Only the chief.
Part-time officers: 12 officers.
Starting pay: $12.51 per hour.
Medical benefits: Only the chief.
Use-of-force policy: North Braddock follows a detailed use-of-force policy, which includes several alternatives to deadly force on a 5-step range. Deadly force can only be used if an officer “reasonably believes” it is necessary to prevent serious injury or death or in specifically defined circumstances involving the possibility of serious injury or death if immediate action is not taken. The policy says: “IF IN DOUBT, DON’T FIRE.”
Shooting policy: North Braddock additionally provided a firearms policy that cautions officers to use restraint and consider the danger to innocent people.
De-escalation policy: No specific policy provided, though de-escalation is mentioned in North Braddock's force policy. The department provided a policy to de-escalate a scene after a critical event, which include serious accidents and hostage situations.
Disciplinary policy: North Braddock provided a detailed listing of possible misconduct, including minor offenses such as profanity and serious offenses like unlawful use of a firearm. Punishment ranges anywhere from a verbal warning to termination.
Resident complaint policy: No specific policy provided. Department guidelines say that complaints will be thoroughly investigated, and that complainants will be treated courteously.
Hiring qualifications: No policy provided on hiring requirements. Detailed job descriptions were provided.
Resident complaints: No records.
Records of force incidents: No records.
Records of officer shootings: No records.
North Versailles
Department size: 23 officers, including the chief.
Full-time officers: 18 officers.
Part-time officers: 5 officers.
Starting pay: $16.84 per hour.
Medical benefits: Only for full-time officers.
Use-of-force policy: North Versailles provided a detailed use-of-force policy, explaining that deadly force can only be used to prevent death or serious bodily injury or in specifically defined circumstances involving the possibility of serious injury or death if immediate action is not taken.
Shooting policy: North Versailles provided a policy mandating that discharge of firearms must be reported internally to be reviewed personally by the chief of police.
De-escalation policy: No written policy.
Disciplinary policy: Policy outlines possible punishment from verbal reprimand to termination. Specific types of punishable conduct are not listed.
Resident complaint policy: Policy says complaints should be forwarded to the chief of police. Officers may try to resolve a complaint but may not dissuade a citizen from filing.
Hiring qualifications: No policy provided.
Resident complaints: No incidents.
Records of force incidents: No records.
Records of officer shootings: No incidents.
Penn Hills
Department size: 54 officers, including the chief.
Full-time officers: 54.
Part-time officers: None.
Starting pay: $66,500 salary.
Medical benefits: Yes.
Use-of-force policy: No response.
Shooting policy: No response.
De-escalation policy: No response.
Disciplinary policy: No response.
Resident complaint policy: No response.
Hiring qualifications: No response.
Resident complaints: No response.
Records of force incidents: No response.
Records of officer shootings: No response.
*Penn Hills did not respond to PublicSource’s records request.
Rankin
Department size: 12 officers, including the chief.
Full-time officers: Only the chief.
Part-time officers: 11 officers.
Starting pay: $9.50 per hour.
Medical benefits: Only the chief.
Use-of-force policy: Rankin provided a detailed use-of-force policy, which includes several alternatives to deadly force on a 5-step range. Deadly force can only be used if an officer “reasonably believes” it is necessary to prevent serious injury or death or in specifically defined circumstances involving the possibility of serious injury or death if immediate action is not taken. The policy says: “If in doubt, DON’T FIRE.”
Shooting policy: Rankin provided a previous policy governing firearms, which is similar to portions of the force policy.
De-escalation policy: No policy provided. De-escalation is mentioned in the force policy.
Disciplinary policy: The policy provided outlines disciplinary procedure, including that an accused officer must be informed of the reason for questioning, but the policy does not list specific conduct or punishment.
Resident complaint policy: Complaints are forwarded to the chief of police.
Hiring qualifications: No age, schooling or experience requirements. The policy outlines a two-step interview process, beginning with an interview with the chief to see if an officer is a good fit for the community.
Resident complaints: No records.
Records of force incidents: No records. The borough provided use-of-force reports to the Allegheny County District Attorney’s office in connection with one case in 2013 and one case in 2015.
Records of officer shootings: No records.
Swissvale
Department size: 25 officers, including the chief.
Full-time officers: 15 full-time officers.
Part-time officers: 8-10 part-timers, depending on schedules.
Starting pay: $16.75 per hour for part-time officers; $53,833 salary for full-time officers.
Medical benefits: Only for full-time officers.
Use-of-force policy: Refused to release in full, claiming disclosure could threaten public safety. The borough provided excerpts, describing that officers are required to file use-of-force reports and excerpts describing the borough’s response to shootings by police.
Shooting policy: Refused to release in full, claiming disclosure could threaten public safety. The borough provided excerpts that say an officer is required to file a report if they fire their weapon outside of the firing range. The policy outlines investigative protocol and explains that officers are placed on administrative leave if a shooting causes serious injury or death.
De-escalation policy: No written policy.
Disciplinary policy: Swissvale provided a detailed disciplinary policy, though definitions for much of the misconduct reference other internal policies that weren’t included. Punishment ranges from a warning to termination.
Resident complaint policy: Complaints shall be taken by the highest available officer on duty and sent to the chief without delay.
Hiring qualifications: General application policy provided. No specified work experience or education requirements.
Resident complaints: Refused to release, claiming any records are not public.
Records of force incidents: Refused to release, claiming any records are not public.
Records of officer shootings: Refused to release, claiming any records are not public.
Turtle Creek
Department size: 14.
Full-time officers: 5 full-time officers.
Part-time officers: 9 part-time officers.
Starting pay: $17.94 per hour, which applies to part-timers. Full-timers start at $20.20.
Medical benefits: Only for full-time officers.
Use-of-force policy: Turtle Creek provided a detailed use-of-force policy describing alternatives to deadly force. The policy states that firearms should be used with a “high degree of restraint” and that firing a weapon is only permissible in defense of life, after alternatives have been exhausted.
Shooting policy: Covered in force policy.
De-escalation policy: No policy provided. The force policy explains that effective communication can keep physical confrontations from escalating.
Disciplinary policy: Turtle Creek provided a detailed use-of-force policy describing alternatives to deadly force. The policy states that firearms should be used with a “high degree of restraint” and that firing a weapon is only permissible in defense of life, after alternatives have been exhausted.
Resident complaint policy: The disciplinary policy explains that complaints must be in writing and cannot be anonymous.
Hiring qualifications: No policy provided.
Resident complaints: Two complaints provided. A resident in October 2017 reported to the mayor that unnamed officers used excessive force against him. That same month a different resident complained to the mayor about unprofessional conduct by an officer.
Records of force incidents: No records.
Records of officer shootings: No records.
Wilkins
Department size: 11 officers, including the acting chief.
Full-time officers: 11 full-time officers.
Part-time officers: None.
Starting pay: $35,764 salary.
Medical benefits: Yes.
Use-of-force policy: Wilkins follows a detailed use-of-force policy, which includes several alternatives to deadly force on a 5-step range. Deadly force can only be used if an officer “reasonably believes” it is necessary to prevent serious injury or death or in specifically defined circumstances involving the possibility of serious injury or death if immediate action is not taken. The policy says: “Ask yourself one question before you use LETHAL FORCE...AM I JUSTIFIED? If in doubt, DO NOT.”
Shooting policy: Covered in force policy.
De-escalation policy: No policy provided. De-escalation is mentioned in Wilkins Township's force policy.
Disciplinary policy: Wilkins Township provided a policy explaining potential punishment for misconduct, which ranges from verbal reprimand to termination. Specific types of misconduct are not listed.
Resident complaint policy: Wilkins Township provided a policy explaining that officers should record complaints in writing, and though they may attempt to resolve complaints, they should not try to dissuade residents from filing a complaint.
Hiring qualification: Wilkins Township provided a detailed hiring policy, which requires that applicants be 21 years old, possess a high school diploma or GED, at least 60 hours of college-level education and at least one year of full-time law enforcement experience or two years of part-time experience.
Resident complaints: Could not provide records.
Records of force incidents: Could not provide records.
Records of officer shootings: Could not provide records. Police have not fired on suspects during the period requested, 2013 to July 2018.
Wilkinsburg
Department size: 24 including chief.
Full-time officers: 24 officers.
Part-time officers: 0.
Starting pay: $51,415 salary; the department increases pay for evening and overnight shifts.
Medical benefits: Yes.
Use-of-force policy: No response.
Shooting policy: No response.
De-escalation policy: No response.
Disciplinary policy: No response.
Resident complaint policy: No response.
Hiring qualifications: No response.
Resident complaints: No response.
Records of force incidents: No response.
Records of officer shootings: No response.
*Wilkinsburg did not respond to PublicSource’s records request.
Jeffrey Benzing is PublicSource's public safety reporter. He can be reached at jeff@publicsource.org, 412-515-0062 or on Twitter @jabenzing. He can be reached securely at PGP: bit.ly/2Au8Ca9
Madeleine Davison contributed to this reporting. She was a summer editorial intern for PublicSource.
The story was fact-checked by Tyler Losier.
Web design and development by Natasha Vicens.
Sign up here for PublicSource's weekly digest of stories.