Pittsburgh City Council considers new stop-and-frisk policy for police

A new stop-and-frisk policy being considered by Pittsburgh City Council would require police to document why they are stopping and searching a pedestrian before they do so.

Officers would need to use a body-worn camera or vehicle-mounted recording device to document their reasonable suspicion for initiating a stop-and-frisk, according to the proposed legislation.

The measure, sponsored by Councilman Ricky Burgess, advanced Wednesday on a 6-0 vote, with two members abstaining and one absent.

The measure was introduced in January, but council delayed taking action for several months to allow Burgess to meet with police and public safety officials to discuss the proposed policy. Burgess told council members Wednesday that he had reached an agreement with public safety officials regarding the legislation.

In a stop-and-frisk incident, police stop, search or detain a pedestrian without a warrant.

Under the proposed legislation, if the stop-and-frisk did not result in an arrest, the officer would need to provide the pedestrian with documentation explaining the reasonable suspicion that led to the stop. Exceptions include if “officer safety or confidential requirements” would prevent officers from sharing that information.

An amendment proposed by police, which is slated to be introduced ahead of a final vote next week, will tweak the measure, according to public safety spokeswoman Cara Cruz.

She said the amendment “outlines that in any stop that does not result in an arrest, police will provide the pedestrian with a verbal explanation of why the individual was stopped, as well as a police report number that documents the reasonable suspicion, as opposed to providing immediate on-site documentation to the pedestrian.”

When the measure was introduced in January, Burgess said he felt a new policy could help reduce racial profiling in stop-and-frisk incidents and make the system more equitable. He cited statistics showing that nearly 70% of such encounters occur with Black residents.

The measure does not eliminate stop-and-frisk entirely, but rather seeks to ensure there is probable cause for the stops.

The legislation calls for the Bureau of Police to provide an annual review of the police to the Department of Public Safety and City Council.

Council President Theresa Kail-Smith said she would prefer to hear from the city’s at-risk youth before advancing the measure, as council has a meeting scheduled with them to discuss such issues. The meeting was suggested after a spike in gun violence in the city, including a shooting at an Airbnb early Easter morning that left two teens dead and nine others wounded.

“Right now, I think our youth are affected in such a tremendous way, and they really do want to have a voice,” Kail-Smith said. “I want to know what they think is the answer.”

This comes after City Council late last year passed legislation banning Pittsburgh police from initiating traffic stops for minor, secondary violations, such as pulling someone over for an improperly placed license plate or temporary tag even if it’s visible. Officers are not permitted to stop drivers when their registration or inspection or emissions stickers are expired by less than two months.

Kail-Smith and Councilman Anthony Coghill abstained from Wednesday’s preliminary vote. Councilman Corey O’Connor was not present, but all other members voted in favor of advancing the legislation for a final vote.