Pittsburgh police officers moved out of the city years before court ruling

Several Pittsburgh police officers have filed paperwork to change their addresses to residences outside city limits following Monday's Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruling that lifted the city's long-standing residency requirement, Chief Scott Schubert said Wednesday.

Mayor Bill Peduto's office was aware that some officers moved following an arbitration panel's 2014 decision permitting police to live within 25 air miles of the City-County Building, Downtown, but the city took no action against them while appealing the decision.

Previously, violators were subject to termination under the strict residency requirement that nearly 80 percent of voters endorsed in a November 2013 referendum.

“Following the initial arbitration panel ruling in 2014, we were aware that some officers did move outside of the city,” said Kevin Acklin, Peduto's chief of staff. “At that time, the city communicated with officers and said that we would take no disciplinary action — even though the matter was on appeal — pending the outcome of the litigation.”

Neither Schubert nor the Mayor's Office could provide a precise figure for how many officers have changed their address with the Personnel Department.

“I just heard a number were down there,” Schubert said. “I'm sure you may see more.”

Schubert said he doubts that suburban residency would create problems in the department. It could help the department retain and recruit officers, he said.

“I don't think somebody living in Dormont or Upper St. Clair, or wherever, is going to change who they are as a police officer,” Schubert said. “Maybe it will help us with a broader base of people who might want to be Pittsburgh police officers.”

While the city is still discussing the possibility of an appeal in federal court, the administration is moving ahead with implementation of the Supreme Court decision, Acklin said.

The Fraternal Order of Police Fort Pitt Lodge No. 1, which represents more than 900 officers, had sought to overturn the mandatory residency requirement for more than a decade. FOP President Robert Swartzwelder on Monday called the decision a “great victory.”

Swartzwelder could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

Bob Bauder is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at 412-765-2312, bbauder@tribweb.com or @bobbauder.