PGHIMC - Pittsburgh Independent Media Center

Mayoral candidates debate Citizen's Police Review Board
by rustbelt radio Wednesday, Apr. 27, 2005 at 2:05 PM
radio@indypgh.org (email address validated)

At an April 21st forum, candidates discussed police accountability in Pittsburgh while Bob O'Connor refused to budge on the issue.

On Thursday, April 21st, at a forum hosted by the African-American Chamber of Commerce of Western Pennsylvania, the candidates for Pittsburgh mayor were asked if they would compel police officers to testify before Pittsburgh's Citizen Police Review Board about alleged police misconduct. The board was created by citywide referendum in 1997 after cases of police brutality in Pittsburgh brought the department under federal scrutiny, but Mayor Tom Murphy does not require officers to testify. The review board has been largely powerless since.

Candidate Bob O'Connor said, after repeated questioning, that he would not have police oficers testify before the review board because he thought it was illegal. His opponents all challenged him on this issue.

The review board sued Mayor Murphy in 2000 to force him to compel police testimony at the hearings, by granting officers immunity. An Allegheny County Common Pleas Court judge rejected the board's lawsuit. Review board officials, however, contend the mayor has the authority to direct police to cooperate.

Candidate Louis "Hop" Kendrick, former Allegheny County disadvantaged business coordinator and the only black candidate for Mayor, said "If you have a mayor who coddles the police, they're going to continue to run amok. Bob O'Connor's in bed with the [Fraternal Order of Police] -- he's not going to challenge the FOP."

Candidate William Peduto, a city councilman, noted that O'Connor, a former councilman, voted against creating the seven-member review board in 1996. Peduto said that he would compel officers to testify if elected mayor.

Candidate Les Ludwig from Squirrel Hill also promised to "stand up to police" if elected.

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