Scott Schubert named police chief of Pittsburgh Police Department

After serving two months as acting Pittsburgh police chief, longtime Pittsburgh Police Officer Scott Schubert was announced as the new Pittsburgh Police Department police chief on Friday.

Schubert, who has spent 24 years with the bureau, became assistant chief of operations in December 2014. Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto asked him to take over as police chief in November after predecessor Cameron McLay’s resignation. Peduto had 90 days to select a permanent chief.

Peduto asked Schubert to officially take on the role Friday, about one week before the 90-day time limit ended. Pending his approval by City Council Tuesday, Schubert will lead a roughly 900-member police force as chief.

Although Peduto’s last hire came from outside the city, he said Schubert’s years in the force give him an advantage over other candidates that don’t already know people in and out of the station.

“Chief Schubert is not only respected within the police bureau, but across our neighborhoods as well,” Peduto said. “He is just the right person to steer the bureau as it grows to more than 900 officers this year, and to keep implementing the city’s commitment to community policing measures.”

McLay, who served with the department for two years, officially announced his resignation Nov. 4, 2016, “to pursue other professional opportunities,” according to a press release from Mayor Peduto. His last day in office was Nov. 8.

The Wisconsin native served with the department for two years. During that time, he implemented police training on fair police procedures without bias and focused on community policing and police accountability. Several of his initiatives were met with criticism from the Pittsburgh Fraternal Order of Police, the local police union.

In September 2016, 95 percent of the police force voted they had no confidence in McLay.

During McLay’s time with the bureau, Schubert served as the assistant chief with Assistant Chief of Administration Thomas Stangrecki.

Schubert began his police career as a Coraopolis, Pennsylvania, police officer for two years and joined the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police in 1993. Schubert held every position from sergeant to commander in the bureau leading up to his swear-in as assistant chief in December 2014.

Schubert also helped coordinate security during the 2009 G-20 Summit in Pittsburgh. The summit is an international forum where 20 countries with major global economies meet and discuss international financial stability.  

He is an adjunct professor of homeland security at Point Park University, and has a bachelor’s degree in law enforcement and a master’s in justice administration from Point Park.  

“My dream has always been to be a Pittsburgh police officer, and it is humbling to be considered for the position of chief,” he said in a press release Friday. “I look forward to continuing to serve the officers, the residents and the visitors of Pittsburgh.”