Should Pittsburgh police officers be required to live in the city? This question has been coming up for the last 20 years.
In fact, I had a Pittsburgh police officer call me several years ago on this issue. He said the he had a house in the city of Pittsburgh but didn’t live there.
The officer said he just couldn’t find the right school in Pittsburgh for his children. Therefore, he and his family were living outside of the city.
He asked me to do research on the issue which I did.
We then sat down in my office and I explained to him the current law on the issue.
That is the last I heard on this question until a few days ago when I read this headline from the Pittsburgh Tribune Review.
Court overturns ruling that allowed Pittsburgh police to reside outside city
Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court on Thursday reversed a 2014 arbitration panel’s ruling permitting Pittsburgh police officers to live outside city limits.
The court ruled that Pittsburgh can require officers to reside in the city under a provision in its Home Rule charter. The city for a more than a century has had a residency requirement.
“We’re going to definitely appeal it to the (state) Supreme Court,” said Howard McQuillan, president of Fraternal Order of Police Fort Pitt Lodge No. 1.
So, there you have it. Pittsburgh wrongful death, medical malpractice, car accident and slip and fall attorney Bernie Tully thinks the article gives a good summary of the current law on this issue.
What it means is that if you are a Pittsburgh police officer you MUST reside in the city of Pittsburgh in order to continue employment there.
As a matter of fact, if the authorities find out you have a primary residence outside the city of Pittsburgh, that fact alone is enough to have you fired as a Pittsburgh police officer.
As the article notes the union for the Pittsburgh police officers plans to take an appeal of the decision to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.
HOWEVER, it is important to understand that the Pennsylvania Supreme Court does not have to hear the case.
In other words, if the Pennsylvania Supreme Court does not accept jurisdiction of the case, then the law as stated in the article will become final. Meaning, work in the city or be fired as a Pittsburgh police officer.
Pittsburgh wrongful death, medical malpractice, car accident and slip and fall attorney Bernie Tully wants to know your opinion on this issue.
Do you think a Pittsburgh police officer should be required to reside in the city of Pittsburgh?
I must respectfully tell you that I don’t believe that an officer should be so required.
In my opinion at least, our society has become too mobile to enforce that rule.
Thanks for reading.
Bernie the attorney