Title
Ordinance supplementing the Pittsburgh Code of Ordinances, Title One, Administrative, Article III, Organization, Chapter 116, Department of Public Safety, by adding a new section, § 116.15, Office of Community Services and Violence Prevention.
Body
Whereas, various public health crises, including institutional racism and the spread of COVID-19 are creating havoc in our daily lives by distressing our communities, workplaces, and our governments’ ability to protect and prioritize the health of the public in general and people of color in particular; and,
Whereas, with any public health crisis, the strategy and response must address the current realities as well as prepare for additional challenges in the future; and,
Whereas, across the United States, cities and states are establishing task forces, response teams, and oversight entities to guide communities through current public health crisis by reviewing data, developing recommendations and strategies to address current and future health disparities; and,
Whereas, a public health approach to public safety includes addressing the total needs of the people and their communities; and,
Whereas, promoting the health of distressed populations requires the use of the social determinants of health and collaborations with community, social services and public health agencies; and,
Whereas, community health needs assessments can provide the impetus for a holistic approach to monitor and support the important social determinants of health; and,
Whereas, a public health approach focused on effectively targeting interventions is an effective use of resources since they match needs with services; and,
Whereas, modern public health practitioners are merging community needs identification and intervention with the social worker’s priority of supplying the needs of the individual; and,
Whereas, the City of Pittsburgh recognizes the history of racism in our country and how it has led to many current-day disparities in education, health, safety, job attainment, income, wealth, housing, healthcare, disproportionate incarceration rates for people of color and other pernicious systems of injustice; and,
Whereas, on December 23, 2019, the Honorable William M. Peduto, Mayor of the City of Pittsburgh, signed into law Resolution Number 843 of 2019, declaring racism a “public health crisis” in the City of Pittsburgh, a home rule municipality and political subdivision of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
NOW, BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED THAT THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH HEREBY ENACTS AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1: The Pittsburgh Code of Ordinances, Title One, Administrative, Article III, Organization, Chapter 116, Department of Public Safety is hereby supplemented by adding a new section, § 116.15, “Office of Community Services and Violence Prevention.”
§ 116.15 - Office of Community Services and Violence Prevention.
The Office of Community Services and Violence Prevention shall be located within the Bureau of Administration of the Department Public Safety. The Office of Community Services and Violence Prevention is charged with increasing community confidence by coordinating public safety programs. This office will provide the Department of Public Safety with the capacity to implement solutions and address long-standing challenges. The Office of Community Services and Violence Reduction will coordinate innovative, evidence-based public safety programs and police reform activities; facilitate and maintain ongoing collaboration and partnerships with community-based and faith-based organizations; coordinate an ongoing interdepartmental process of community engagement and racial reconciliation; award public safety community mini-grants for public safety and violence prevention programs. This office will aspire to build public safety excellence.