With criticism mounting, city public safety director Wendell Hissrich swiftly modified a police bureau policy that barred officers from responding in person to some complaints of simple assault, terroristic threats and harassment. Under Mr. Hissrich’s directive, officers will respond when called. That is the right call from Mr. Hissrich.
Since 2005, civilian clerks in the police bureau have been taking reports on certain kinds of crimes — including simple assault, terroristic threats and harassment — by telephone. But victims always had the option of insisting that officers respond in person. In an Aug. 25 order, police Chief Cameron McLay took away that option, saying officers would respond only if there was an offender present or evidence to collect or if someone was in imminent danger or there were “extraordinary circumstances.”
The decision brought criticism from the Post-Gazette, advocacy groups and city council members. Taxpayers pay good money for police service and deserve to have officers show up when needed. But there were other problems with Chief McLay’s order. How can 911 dispatchers know for sure whether a caller is in imminent danger? They can’t. Officers must be sent to assess the situation. How long does it take for an incident of harassment to escalate into violence? Seconds, as so many victims of domestic violence know. Any time lost responding to such calls can mean the difference between life and death.
Also troubling was the prospective fallout of Chief McLay’s policy on community relations. People need more interaction with officers, not less, if the chief is to achieve his goal of building rapport with the public.
Council members Darlene Harris, Theresa Kail-Smith, Corey O’Connor and Natalia Rudiak aired their concerns to Mr. Hissrich and Chief McLay at a special meeting Thursday. Within hours, Mr. Hissrich announced that officers would continue responding in person to simple assault, terroristic threats and harassment calls.
The police bureau still may decline to send officers on other kinds of calls, including minor traffic accidents and some thefts from vehicles. Officers should be sent on those calls, too, or whenever a crime victim needs to see them. But at least Mr. Hissrich had the good sense to rescind the most worrisome aspects of Chief McLay’s order.
First Published: September 13, 2016, 4:00 a.m.
