Pittsburgh mayor overhauls how police handle civil protests
By MARK SCOLFORO Associated Press
Pittsburgh’s mayor is putting new limits on dispatching police to civil protests and has halted the practice of having plainclothes officers in unmarked cars jump out and arrest people. Democratic Mayor Bill Peduto on Friday also ordered officers to stop wearing camouflage at protests. He’s planning to designate a commander to oversee police response to protests. Police handling of civil protests in Pittsburgh in recent months has drawn complaints, including over a “jump out” arrest of a demonstrator this weekend and the use of pepper spray to disburse protesters outside the mayor’s home Wednesday night.