Pittsburg, PA
Pittsburgh police, B-PEP working together to strengthen relations between law enforcement and Black community
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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – Pittsburgh police and a local organization are working to strengthen relations between law enforcement and the Black community.
For two hours Thursday night, the new chief took part in the first of five meetings led by the Black Political Empowerment Project, known as B-PEP, kicking off in the Hill District.
While it was scheduled ahead of time, it was timely, coming on the heels of the hours-long Garfield standoff and shootout one day earlier. However, the folks KDKA talked with said they were disappointed.
Pittsburgh Police Chief Larry Scirotto said he’s committed to improving race relations in the city.
“[It’s] the first day of our new relationship together,” Scirotto said. “We need to be proactive. We need to be engaged in a way that we just haven’t been in the past.”
This is why he showed up at Bethel AME Church in the Hill District for the first of five community meetings in partnership with B-PEP, along with other organizations and agencies like the NAACP and the Pittsburgh Citizen Police Review Board.
The head of B-PEP, Tim Stevens, launched the series of conversations.
“I think the chief was very, honest and open in his answers, and hopefully, it’s the beginning of our communities coming together with the chief and with our police department,” Stevens said.
At the meeting in the Hill District, folks could submit questions on notecards that were read by representatives from organizations to the chief.
“When people speak, they end up in speeches,” Stevens said.
However, some people expected something different.
Carmen Pace, who lives in Hill, spoke out at the meeting, frustrated that her questions, specifically focusing on her community, were not addressed.
“I invited community people to come so they can stand up and ask direct questions, follow up, but that’s not the way the meeting was led,” Pace said.
For example, she doesn’t think the hosts should have read off a question about where the chief was born.
“I just think some of the questions could have been weeded out,” Pace said.
Local activist Carmen Brown feels the same way, that questions were vague, and answers weren’t specific.
“We’ve had this conversation over years and years and years, and I just don’t think nothing’s going to change,” Brown said.
The chief did address the Garfield standoff and shootout. He said he couldn’t answer much due to the ongoing investigation. Those KDKA talked with said they understand this but feel the chief could have shared more details than he did.
The next meeting will be held on Sept. 5, 2023, at the North Side Partnership Project at 6 p.m.
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Pittsburg, PA
Pittsburgh police release new photos as search for missing teen girl continues
Pittsburgh police are continuing to search for a missing 13-year-old girl.
Detectives first began looking for Tabitha Clark at the start of August.
On Sunday, police released new photos of the girl — one showing her wearing glass and another where she appears to be on public transit.
Clark was reportedly last seen as recently as mid-August in the Hill District.
She is described as 5 feet, 7 inches tall with brown eyes and black hair. She’s known to spend time on the North Side, Downtown, or McKees Rocks.
Anyone with information is asked to call 412-323-7141 or 911.
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Panthers ink former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver
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The Carolina Panthers are signing former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Deon Cain to their practice squad. This comes days after Cain was released from the Buffalo Bills, allowing him to find a new home. A standout in the UFL over the last two seasons with the Birmingham Stallions, Cain hopes to find a new, permanent spot in the NFL, and the Panthers are giving him that chance.
The 28-year-old wide receiver has spent his career with multiple teams. Cain, the sixth-round pick of the Indianapolis Colts in the 2018 NFL Draft, spent the first two seasons with the Colts. However, once the Colts let him go in 2019, the Steelers jumped all over the opportunity to add him to the practice squad and eventually, the active roster. Cain spent all of 2019 and 2020 with the Steelers before heading to the Philadelphia Eagles for two years from 2021 to 2022, for most of which he was on their practice squad.
Since then, Cain has had those two stints in the UFL and previous USFL, earning opportunities with the Eagles again, Bills, and now the Panthers. The Panthers are somewhat of a homecoming for the Clemson product, who will go back south to try and prove that he belongs in the NFL.
While in the USFL with the Stallions, he was named the USFL Championship MVP in 2023. He has racked up just nine receptions for 124 yards in his NFL career, but has stuck around as a big play threat with great body control.
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