Wearing black mourning bands over its badges following a week of heightened tension between police and communities across the country, the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police promoted 10 of its own Monday.
“These are challenging times for American policing. These are challenging times for the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police. I need true leaders. I need courageous leaders,” Chief Cameron McLay said.
The chief began the promotion ceremony by calling for a moment of silence for the five police officers fatally shot Thursday in Dallas and other victims of violent crime. He urged the new assistant chief, three commanders, a lieutenant and five sergeants to be models of the department’s core values, including compassion, courage, honor, integrity and respect.
Mayor Bill Peduto said each was promoted based on merit. Public Safety Director Wendell Hissrich thanked the officers’ family and friends, who packed Pittsburgh City Council chambers for the afternoon ceremony.
“Your self-sacrifice in releasing them and your trust that we will return them to you is a testament to your courage,” he said.
Larry Scirotto, previously a major crimes commander, takes on a newly created position, assistant chief in the Office of Professional Standards, which oversees internal investigations, policy and training.
Both officers newly promoted to commander, Stephen Vinansky of Zone 2 and Cristyn Zett, who worked in the training academy, also move to the Office of Professional Standards.
Clarence E. Trapp, who was assigned to the chief’’s office and the Office of Professional Standards, was named commander of the special deployment division, and David Meade, formerly a sergeant in Zone 4, moves to Zone 2 as a lieutenant.
Five others were promoted to the rank of sergeant:
• Tracy Clinton leaves the sex assault and family violence unit for Zone 3.
• William Fleske moves from violent crimes to Zone 5.
• Philip Mercurio, formerly a narcotics detective, has been reassigned to Zone 2.
• Matthew Redpath, of Zone 2, will now work in Zone 3.
• Richard Zett, who worked in Zone 1’s bicycle unit, moves to Zone 5.
The Zetts married after meeting at work.
“Every day we work together to balance work and kids and family and all that fun stuff, so it’s fun for this to happen on the same day,” Cmdr. Zett said.
Their family, including their 5- and 7-year-old children, celebrated the couple’s achievements after the ceremony. Three of Cmdr. Zett’s four brothers also work for the bureau.
The siblings’ mother, Noel Baker of Beechview, said: “They’re all professional about their jobs. I just trust they know what they’re doing. I trust the people around them know what they’re doing. Everybody has each other’s back. I just pray a lot. A lot of rosaries.”
Lexi Belculfine: lbelculfine@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1878. Twitter: @LexiBelc.
First Published: July 12, 2016, 4:00 a.m.
