Councilman tries to restore Zone 4 police station after budget cuts

Several city councilmen, police officers and community residents are unhappy with the final… Several city councilmen, police officers and community residents are unhappy with the final results of the cut-and-paste style that has seemed to be present during recent changes in Pittsburgh’s police department.

On Aug. 29, 2003, the former Zone 4 police station in the West End closed its doors for the last time. The West End station, which provided police coverage for the area of the city over the Monongahela River and near the West End Circle and Mt. Washington, is now patrolled by the current Zone 3 police officers.

The Zone 3 station is located on 18th Street in the South Side.

With citywide budget cuts leading to the laying off of 102 police officers and 600 other city workers, the city decided to close the West End police station to maintain roughly the same number of police officers patrolling the city’s streets.

According to attorney and City Councilman Alan Hertzberg, the city of Pittsburgh’s Chief of Police Robert McNeilly made the layoff decision and “[McNeilly] answers to Mayor [Tom] Murphy.”

According to Tammy Ewin, the public information officer of the city of Pittsburgh, the city was able to bring back nine of the 102 police officers laid off, thanks to early retirement by veteran police officers.

“We bring back officers as officers retire; since the initial layoff, we’ve brought back about 25 more [officers],” Ewin said.

The issue for some West End residents and city councilmen goes beyond job cuts – they’re concerned about the closing of the station in the West End.

“Closing the station itself is a reduction of services, and Murphy has agreed to maintain the same level of services despite the cuts,” Hertzberg said.

According to Ewin, the police officers in a given zone cover more than just the streets. Officers must also occupy the building.

“The reopening of that station would require us to take up to 23 officers off the streets,” Ewin said.

“There are officers of the current Zone 3 patrolling the neighborhoods that used to be [classified as] Zone 4,” she added.

“The West End station was the only police station in that neighborhood and the only one [the city] decided to close,” Hertzberg said. “Our police response times have slowed down and people have told me stories about how long, sometimes, it now takes to get an officer on the scene.”

After being denied funding by the Fraternal Order of Police for the court costs to appeal the decision, Hertzberg went to the surrounding communities.

Hertzberg, with the aid of Sheraden Community Council President Geno Mazza, the West End Home Assurance Value Board President Michael Roos, and other community activists, raised funds for the court costs to appeal.

Under normal circumstances, an oral argument would not be held for between six and 16 months. According to a press release issued Wednesday, however, the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania has granted the request of Hertzberg and the West Pittsburgh Partnership to expedite the appeal. Oral arguments will be held in Harrisburg between Dec. 8 and 12.