Tube City Almanac

January 11, 2010

Officers Worked 'Business Beat' in December

(News)

Two patrolmen worked an unusual "business beat" in the city during the holidays, and officers will continue their outreach efforts in the Grandview neighborhood, police Chief Al Tedesco said.

Tedesco told city council last week the two were told to contact "every business in the city of McKeesport" during their shifts.

"We wanted to show them that we do care about our businesses," the chief said. The officers' presence and efforts to talk to owners and employees one-on-one "virtually eliminated" complaints from businesses during December, Tedesco said.

Additional patrols have now been added in Grandview in response to a rash of burglaries in the neighborhood, he said.

. . .

City police answered 1,899 calls in December, made 259 arrests and issued 91 traffic citations, said Tedesco, who also reported statistics for 2009:

  • Calls: 26,065 (2009), 25,526 (2008), up 2 percent

  • Traffic Citations: 2,287 (2009), 1,962 (2008), up 15 percent

  • Arrests: 4,232 (2009), 3,821 (2008), up 11 percent

Eight homicides were reported in the city during 2009, versus four the previous year, Tedesco said. Three of last year's cases remain open, he said.

Although the additional arrests may make it appear that crime has gone up, Mayor James Brewster said he believes the increase is because police have "done a better job" in apprehending suspects. "If you had a scanner, you'd know how busy they are," he said.

Officers are being asked to make foot patrols in their districts whenever possible to make them more visible to residents, Brewster said, and are now required to keep a log of whenever they get into or out of their cars.

In addition, with assistance from Allegheny County emergency dispatchers, police are creating a database of nuisance rental properties, Brewster said. The statistics gathered will shape a series of planned changes to the city's landlord and tenant ordinances, he said.

. . .

Many of 2009's traffic citations were issued through the city police department's participation in the state's program to target aggressive or dangerous driving, also known as "Smooth Operator," Tedesco said. McKeesport police are one of 170 departments in Pennsylvania participating in the program, according to state Department of Transportation officials.

The city has received an additional grant and will be participating in the program again in 2010.

State Route 48 and state Route 148 --- which includes East Fifth Avenue and much of Lysle Boulevard --- are among the areas that have been targeted in the aggressive driving campaign.

. . .

In Other Business: Also last week, city council by 6-0 vote named the following residents to boards and commissions:
  • Civil Service Commission: Reappointed Mary Ann Popovich and appointed Jim Miller to replace the late Jane Zatek;

  • McKeesport Ambulance Authority: Reappointed Edwin Coulter, Walter Chuchla and Ron Oleska;

  • McKeesport Housing Authority: Reappointed William Craig;

  • Municipal Authority of the City of McKeesport: Appointed former Councilman Dale McCall to replace David Demchak;

  • Planning Commission: Reappointed Mary Ann Popovich, Harvey Grant, DeNita Francis, Gloria Sabo and Terri Kisan and appointed Margaret O'Keson; and

  • Zoning Hearing Board: Reappointed Joseph Como, Dee Connor, Gary Dailey and William Richards.

On a motion made by Councilman Richard Dellapenna and seconded by Councilman A.J. Tedesco Jr., council voted 5-0 to appoint Darryl Segina to the McKeesport Neighborhood Initiative to replace former Councilman Paul Shelly Jr. Segina abstained and Councilwoman Fawn Walker was absent due to family emergency.







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