Pittsburgh police take action after officers pulled off streets for failing firearms recertification
One day after Target 11 broke the story that nearly a dozen police officers had been pulled off the streets after failing firearms recertification, the Police Department is taking action.
Target 11 investigator Rick Earle has confirmed that the department will now be offering voluntary firearms training classes for officers.
According to an internal memo obtained by Earle, those classes will start next week, and they are open to any officer.
“This will be a highly structured class which aims to improve the officers handgun marksmanship and weapon manipulation skills,” the memo stated.
This comes after 11 officers failed the state’s new shooting range recertification test. Sources inside the department told Earle that in the past, officers who failed the test were allowed to retake it the same day. They also said it was rare for anyone to fail the old test.
The executive director of the Citizen Police Review Board, Beth Pittinger, expressed concerns about the new failure rate.
“It is shameful that so many officers can’t pass the firearms qualification. That’s unsettling,” said Pittinger.
“You expect officers to be competent when it comes to the use of a firearm?” asked Earle.
“That’s not an option. They must be competent, and they must demonstrate that on an annual basis,” said Pittinger.
The state changed the testing and grading system this year, making it more difficult to pass, according to law enforcement sources inside the Police Bureau.
The Department of Public Safety sent this statement to Target 11:
“MPOETC (Municipal Police Officer Education and Training Commission) did standardize the testing for all departments across the state this year, making firearms recertification more stringent and grading on a percentage basis rather than pass/fail. As a result, it’s not unexpected that the Bureau would see different numbers.”
Target 11 has learned those 11 officers who failed the test were initially allowed to return to duty because their old certification didn’t expire until the end of the year.
But when the command staff found out, they immediately pulled the officers off the street and placed them on desk duty in a department already struggling with manpower issues.
“This hurts even more,” said Pittinger. “Those officers who are fully qualified and certified and maintained their certification are going to have to carry the burden that’s created by these officers who did not qualify on the range.”
Sources told Target 11 that officers do not have any shooting training throughout the year other than the recertification test, which is done annually.
Sources also told Target 11 that those 11 officers who failed recertification are scheduled to report to the gun range for retraining on Monday morning.
Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW
TRENDING NOW:
Father charged in baby’s death in hot car in Upper St. Clair granted non-monetary bail Actress Anne Heche dies at 53 after car crash Man shot and killed by his Lyft driver in local Sheetz parking lot; victim identified VIDEO: Carnegie Police say posts about serial killer targeting women are fake DOWNLOAD the Channel 11 News app for breaking news alerts
