For the fifth time since Ed Gainey became mayor, the City of Pittsburgh has a new police chief. The latest change happened suddenly on Tuesday when Acting Chief Chris Ragland decided to end his career with the police department to take a private sector job.
In the aftermath, city leaders spent the next day blaming one another for the loss.
Political intrigue is what drove away the mayor’s nominee for permanent chief.
Three sources have confirmed for KDKA at least one City Council member told Ragland who he would promote as assistant chiefs if he wanted the job.
Not only is that unethical, but it is also a betrayal of the obligation Council members have to prioritize public safety ahead of political agendas.
What makes Ragland’s loss even worse is that an officer with three decades of experience in Pittsburgh was willing to jump through numerous hoops ahead of a confirmation vote. It’s another depressing chapter in the police department, where officer ranks are shrinking and morale is fading thanks to the neglect of a succession of administrations.
City government dysfunction is the reason Pittsburgh does not have a new police chief.