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WHEREAS, Elizabeth C. Pittinger has served as the Executive Director of Pittsburgh’s Independent Citizen Police Review Board since January 19, 1999 and is considered to be the longest serving police oversight professional in the country; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Pittinger has a long history of public service including appointments to the Pittsburgh Commission on Human Relations spanning 1994 through 2014, serving as Chair 1999 through 2000; the President’s Committee on Mental Retardation (now known as the President’s Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities), 1994-2001; the former Allegheny County. MH/MR Board; and the Pennsylvania Right to Education Task Force; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Pittinger has endeavored throughout her career to eliminate bias in public policy thereby fostering a community of inclusion and has received several awards and commendations, including recognition as a “Woman of Justice” by the Women and Girls Foundation of Southwestern Pennsylvania; and as a Classic Events’ awardee for Legal Excellence; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Pittinger has assisted City Council through briefings and advisories related to police policy matters such as Officer Involved Domestic Violence, preparation for the G20 Summit, secondary employment of police officers, motor vehicle pursuits and related police/community issues; and
WHEREAS, On Ms. Pittinger’s watch the Independent Citizen Police Review Board has remained steadfast in its impartial mission, having convened 212 public business meetings, processed more than 5000 complaints and conducted more than 100 public hearings; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Pittinger has facilitated partnerships between the Independent CPRB and community interests including the Black Political Empowerment Project, the Pittsburgh Public Schools, Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers, Pittsburgh Unit of the NAACP, the Community/Police Relations Group convened by the U. S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Pittinger has adopted her role with the CPRB as a lifestyle, assuring her availability to the media and public whenever a question arises regarding community/police relations; and
WHEREAS, in addition to being a public servant, Ms. Pittinger likes to read walk her dogs, target shoot, and jump out of perfectly good airplanes; and
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NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh does hereby recognize, congratulate and thank Ms. Pittinger for 20 years of service to the Independent Citizen Police Review Board and for her continuing commitment to a safe and healthy relationship between the members of the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police and the citizens and visitors of our City; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh does hereby declare Tuesday, January 29th, 2019 to be “Elizabeth C. Pittinger Day” in the City of Pittsburgh.