Mayor: Pittsburgh police chief will take kids to watch him officiate, new questions emerge

PITTSBURGH — 11 investigates is learning more about a youth program that Pittsburgh’s mayor mentioned in a news release addressing the chief’s return to officiating college basketball part-time.

Chief Investigator Rick Earle broke the story last week and on Thursday, he questioned the mayor about the controversial decision and this new youth program.

The mayor told Earle that young people from across the city will actually get the chance to go and watch the chief ref in person.

>>> Related coverage: City cancels news conference about Pittsburgh police chief’s side gig, council to question him

Chief Larry Scirotto returned to officiating college basketball earlier this month, even though he said he was done with refereeing when he took the chief’s job last year.

Scirotto said he wanted to concentrate on the city and the police department.

The mayor said the chief approached him about returning to officiating and he agreed to allow him to do it because the murder rate had dropped.

Earle questioned the mayor about that.

Earle: Homicides may be down, but there are still other crimes. Aggravated assault, robbery, thefts.

Mayor Gainey: We will work on them.

Earle: So, you are going to allow him to be part-time chief? Frankly, he won’t be here for the next five months. If he’s doing 65 games and a travel day, that’s 130 out of 150 days that he’s gone.

Mayor Gainey: If I was concerned about the public safety of this city, you and I both know I wouldn’t do it.

Scirotto, who has agreed to take a pay cut from $185,000 to $166,000, said he will use his own time. He plans to do up to 65 Big Ten games from November until March.

The season starts Nov. 4, the day before the presidential election. During that week, the chief canceled vacation days and ordered officers to work 12-hour shifts.

Earle: The election is Nov. 5. The Big Ten basketball season starts Nov. 4. Will he be here for that?

Gainey: Me and the chief will have that conversation today, so I can’t really give you that answer. But what I can tell you is that regardless of what happens, we’ll be ready to go.

While the mayor has known about Scirotto’s return to refereeing for weeks now, he didn’t have an answer about election week.

He did, however, address the new youth program that the chief has proposed to attract youngsters into officiating.

Mayor Gainey: He brought it forward in a way I think is innovative and will help us build a better relationship, a chief taking kids to a game.

Earle: What’s he going to take kids to his games when he refs? I don’t understand that.

Mayor Gainey: You had it right the first time.

Earle: He’s actually going to take kids with him when he refs games?

Mayor Gainey: Absolutely.

Scirotto’s pay cut will go to pay for the promotion of Assistant Chief Chris Ragland to deputy chief.

Ragland was promoted to serve as the acting chief when Scirotto was away officiating.

Sources said that salary move will likely need approval from City Council.

Council has scheduled a public hearing for Tuesday afternoon to question Scirotto and the administration about Scirotto’s return to officiating.

Several council members have raised concerns about how much time Scirotto will be away and if this move is in the best interest of the department, which is suffering from a severe staffing shortage.

The department has reached the lowest number of officers in years.

11 Investigates reached out to Scirotto for more details about this youth program.

He replied in a text with a thumbs up but offered no details. The mayor did not provide any more details either.

It’s unclear how the kids will get to the games, who will take them and who’s paying for it.

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