Pittsburgh, PA PD

[VSP_Troop]

http://www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/personnel/html/police_officer_recruitment.html

I'm thinking about taking this exam. Anyone from the area know anything about this dept? I would imagine they are extremely busy to say the least. Crime is off the charts for the population. I'm thinking this is a good alternative to a larger city PD like NYC.

[Puffy6460]

A solid Departmnet with a good national reputation. Are they still under that Department of Justice Consent Decree? If so, guys years ago told me how they had a serious work slow down after the Clinton Administration totally desemated the Department on the say so of less than 10 (mostly BS) citizen complaints.

Hopefully the Consent Decree is as gone as the Clinton Administration!

Best of Luck

[gowings91dk]

I had lived in Pittsburgh for about two years. They didnt test when I was there. I know the city is in financal trouble big time! They combined two big zones and made one big zone and laid off over 30 officers what I remember, and that was in 2002. The crime isnt too bad I felt safer there than my home town of Buffalo. Wilkinsbugh, Homewood, and Manchester are serious crime beds so dont look for a home there. Anything else you need to know about the area let me know. The suburbs are the hot bed right now, I'd check there first, Monroeville, North Hills, Baldwin, Murrysville

[normy0]

I live in the City of Pittsburgh right and am taking the test. A few things you may want to consider are the fact that the city is bankrupt and presently under the control of an oversight board which means no money can be spent unless the board says so (like union contracts etc.), the city police have a residency requirement and there are probably about 90 neighborhoods in the city and I would only live in about 10 of them so do some research on that (if i didnt already live in the city I would probably think about applying in some of the suburbs) , and about a year ago they laid off over 100 officers because the mayor wanted to scare the governor into giving the city aid (all where rehired through attrition). But I dont want to make it sound all bad it is a relatively good department and has an abundance of opportunities especially since over 100 officers retired in december due to the implementation of the recovery plan. So they are going to hire atleast 50 right off the bat and probably 100 before the year is over. Hope that helps.

[VSP_Troop]

Thanks for the info.

[Njw]

I can tell you this alot of the city officers are testing in the suburbs. The suburbs pay alot more and less bull sh*t plus ACT 47 doesnt affect the suburbs. The city is on a serious wage freeze (no increases for at least 3 years) and the new officers will have to pay into their health insurance. Good luck and you can have that job!!

[VSP_Troop]

Yea, i read up on it and I won't be applying there.

[easy-e1]

Hey EMniece. I spent over 10 years there. Everything these guys posted is pretty much spot on. The ACT 47 board is kinda done messing with the police for now. They are going after city firemen like, well wildfire. They want to close stationd and lay off tons of firemen.
As far as the police you start around 38.,000 which aint that bad BUT you will be on that 1st yr pay for MANY yrs. Only opp. for extra cash is court time. They still pay 3 hour min. for court time IF you are not on duty. The city is left liberal and they do have residency which will NEVER go away. I went to a suburban department, MUCH smaller BUT alot safer, cleaner environment, newer equip. people actually use all 5 fingers when they wav ;)
You are gonna pay a decent amount for health care as most places nationwide are having to do. The crime really isnt that bad but population is sinking faster than the Titanic. You can get a nice house in a decent area for less than 100K. There are alot of good cops still there but alot of vets are trying to leave. We have lost over 150 guys in 2004 alone.
The 'current new' contract after being agreed upon is now NOT agreed upoin by the mayor, he is a crook. So whatever the 2005 contrct says it is not official even though it was finalized by neutral arbitrator. They got 0% pay raise for 2 yrs. than only 6.5%total for the next 3yrs. NOt much. BUT again the Oversight board dont like it so they are really in charge.
The consent decree is long gone BUT the policies were implememted anyway by Chief. Traffic stop reports, use of force reports,too many reports.
PM if ya need more detailed stuff. Good luck Niecey

[easy-e1]

I live in the City of Pittsburgh right and am taking the test. A few things you may want to consider are the fact that the city is bankrupt and presently under the control of an oversight board which means no money can be spent unless the board says so (like union contracts etc.), the city police have a residency requirement and there are probably about 90 neighborhoods in the city and I would only live in about 10 of them so do some research on that (if i didnt already live in the city I would probably think about applying in some of the suburbs) , and about a year ago they laid off over 100 officers because the mayor wanted to scare the governor into giving the city aid (all where rehired through attrition). But I dont want to make it sound all bad it is a relatively good department and has an abundance of opportunities especially since over 100 officers retired in december due to the implementation of the recovery plan. So they are going to hire atleast 50 right off the bat and probably 100 before the year is over. Hope that helps.
NORMY, are you in the academy right now?? or just going through the hiring process for the next class?

[Njw]

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[easy-e1]

Easy I sent you an IM.
Hope you got my reply, Iam not too keen on the new options :o
I dont know how to receive all my 'unconfirmed receipt ' messages.

[Njw]

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[normy0]

Easy, I am just scheduled to take the test march 16th.

[Surfin_Cop]

Hey normy I just want to wish you luck bud. Pittsburgh needs officers really bad. I just wish that i could apply. Damn 60 credits. But I have alot of classmates in the academy taking the test on that day. Best of luck!

[Njw]

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[normy0]

Surfin, Thanks. You in Allegheny County Academy now? Also did you take the county police test? Are you taking the sheriff's test? Good luck to you as well.

Njw, the polygraph is part of the background investigation. Hope that helps.

[Surfin_Cop]

Normy no im in the Alleghany Academy. Im in the IUP Police Academy at CMU. We graduate in July. No I didnt take the Alleghany test because I was going to go down to FL and try to get on with the Sarasota County Sheriffs Office but they want 60 credits like Pittsburgh. But im kicking myself in the *** now since learning about the 60 credits. Oh well, guess ill be working part time for like 4 departments. Unless I get lucky. But unlikely.

[Njw]

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[Surfin_Cop]

NJW, No I didnt know that the Sheriffs Dept was hiring. One guy in our academy is a reserve officer there and he has got some connections so maybe I should try that route. However I know the Sheriffs Dept up here isnt the same as it is down south. I think all they do is serving warrants and what have you. But if it gets me experiance and its full time maybe I should check it out.

[Njw]

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[normy0]

Njw, The sheriff's department will put you through the Allegheny County police academy and then put you through deputy sheriff training in Penn State for 2 weeks afterwards. I was told me it would be a good opportunity to get certified and paid while I am at it. I had a question for you as well. I heard they are only opening back up the booking center in Mckeesport and keeping the other two closed is this what you have heard as well?

[Njw]

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[Surfin_Cop]

Also i dont know if you know or not but my coordinator for our academy works for the Pittsburgh Academy. He stated that if you were just recently certified in Act 120 that your academy there would be shortend considerably im thinking he said something like 8 weeks or something like that

[easy-e1]

Pittsburgh does now use an accelerated or 'veteran' type class for Act 120 people. They are very short and will be short for sometime. Now in the news today I hear the Housing Police will be gone in less than 2 yrs. So you will be doing alot more project policing :( . Veteran class is about 6 weeks compared to the full 24 or 26 week class.

[gowings91dk]

I can't believe I moved back to Ny to finish my Bs degree and now they started hiring. I'd almost move back for the Turners tee, wilsons bbq on the north side and Quinn in the morning.

[easy-e1]

DOnt know about the tee shop but love Quinn and Rose www.warroom.com
and ya gotta miss Primanti's. The strip isnt what it used to be with Metropol and ROsebud closed and its now kinda turned more to a urban environment instead of dance clubs and nice bars but it is bust there on nice friday nights, we were almost toooooo busy there. Around 0145 we would stage around the area and pull traffic to try and avoid another shooting. Couplea big shootings over nights last summer.
The city will be hiring I think for a bit, they are under 795 or so and in 1995 when I started we were over 1200. Need more men. and women

[gowings91dk]

I meant the iced tea by Turner Dairy I have to drive from buffalo to grove city just to get it. When I was living in monroeville i got hooked on it. I do miss Permanti's. I kill for a roast beef sandwich. The strip district was nice but if anyone gets a chance try that wilsons bbq in the north side on north taylor. that place has the best ribs. After I finish my bs. degree I think my wife and I might move back down, Im looking at probation more now. Hopefuly Murphey wont screw things up even more. Its a shame I did love there but what the point of living in Alleghany county when you could move to westmoreland, greene or surrouding counties and skip the deathly taxes.

[JJS]

I'm also taking the Pitts test in March. Any of the guys that took the allegheny county police test have you heard anything back about your scores yet?

[Mraughh]

nothing yet from A.C.PD, I asked one of the ladies there and she said we'd hear something in about a month for the PE test.

[easy-e1]

I found out today during inservice that the McKees Rocks borough is hiringm kinda ****ty and real small, Also I tihnk Tarentum, PD is hiring. Tarentum is just around the NE section of Allegheny cty. Might only be hiring part timers though. York regional is always looking for guys.