UNITE! is voting YES on the City of Pittsburgh's proposed home rule charter amendment special election question.  This fall, Pittsburgh voters decide on a ballot measure to strengthen the Citizen Police Review Board Charter by:

1. Authorizing the board to conduct performance audits with the city controller; and 

2. Requiring officers to cooperate with the Citizen Police Review Board's investigation or face termination.  

City of Pittsburgh Proposed Home Rule Charter Amendment Special Election Question 

Shall the Pittsburgh Home Rule Charter, Article Two, Executive, be amended and supplemented by amending and adding new language to Sections 229 and 230 and adding a new section, 231, expanding the powers of the Independent Citizen Police Review Board to allow the Board to require police officers to participate in investigations, conducting performance audits of the Police Bureau and preventing the removal of Board members except for just cause and with City Council approval?

Section 229. POWERS OF INDEPENDENT CITIZEN REVIEW BOARD - Amendment of Language 

ORIGINAL LANGUAGE - The Board shall: a . Investigate selected complaints filed by individuals alleging police misconduct;

AMENDMENT LANGUAGE - The Board shall: a . Receive all complaints related to the conduct of any sworn member of the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police and shall investigate selected complaints filed by individuals alleging police conduct

Section 229. POWERS OF INDEPENDENT CITIZEN REVIEW - Addition of New Language 

G. With the Controller, jointly conduct performance audits of the Bureau of Police or its successor, notwithstanding any other provision of this Charter, whenever the Board and the Controller decide such joint performance audits are necessary

H. Be subject to fiscal audits by the City Controller whenever the Controller decides it is necessary

I. The Board and the Commission on Human Relations, its adjuncts or successors, shall develop protocols necessary to assure complaints alleging unlawful discriminatory conduct by sworn police officers are referred to the Commission on Human Relations for evaluation and disposition if the Commission finds probable cause to proceed

Section 230. Response to Recommendations of Independent Citizen Review Board - Addition of New Language 

a. All officers and employees of the Bureau of Police, the Department of Public Safety, and the Office of Municipal Investigation, adjuncts or successors, shall participate in all investigations conducted by the Independent Citizen Review Board as required by the Board 

1. This participation includes production of all officer statements and witness statements 
2. The failure of any police officer to do so shall constitute just cause for discharge

b. Neither the Chief, Director of Public Safety, their successors nor the Mayor shall render a final disciplinary decision regarding an act of police misconduct subject to an active investigation by the Board until the Board submits its finding and recommendations to them.  The foregoing shall not apply where the Board is unable to comply with the timing requirements applicable to the City by law or to ensure the public safety

Section 231. Removal of Independent Citizen Review Board Members - Addition of New Section 

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Charter the mayor may remove a Board member only for just cause as provided herein.  The Mayor shall notify the Board and City Council, detailing the findings of cause.  If the Mayor recommends removal, unless City Council, by a two-thirds (2/3 ) vote, disapproves this finding within ten (10) days of notification, the recommendation of the Mayor shall be final, and the Mayor shall cause the member’s removal