Two days after telling WESA he planned to remain focused on public safety in Pittsburgh while embarking on a return to officiating college basketball in his free time, Pittsburgh Police Chief Larry Scirotto announced his plans to retire from the force on Nov. 1.
In a statement released Friday morning, Scirotto said he recognizes the controversy that arose around the issue of his referring has become “a distraction for the department.” He insisted he had not “given in to the opinions of a few individuals of the public’s perception.”
“Instead, I am making this decision to prioritize the integrity and focus of the department,” said. Scirotto, who as police chief would have earned $187,000 next year. “Optics matter, and my retirement is the right course for all of us.”
Assistant Chief Chris Ragland will serve as the acting chief until Mayor Ed Gainey and Public Safety Director Lee Schmidt determine their next steps, Scirotto said. Under the arrangement announced last week by Scirotto, Ragland was to be promoted to Deputy Chief and tasked with leadership of the department when Scirotto would be away at games.
"While we are sad that we're losing a capable, creative, and dynamic leader in Chief Scirotto, we have great confidence in [Ragland], who will take over as acting chief when he retires," said Schmidt in a statement released by the city Friday night.
"Assistant Chief Ragland and the current command staff members are all highly skilled leaders in their own right, adept at guiding the bureau in the chief's absence. We wish Chief Scirotto all the best and thank him for the enormous contributions he's made to the City of Pittsburgh and the Pittsburgh Police," Schmidt said. "We are grateful that the changes and improvements he's made during his tenure as chief have put the bureau on track for continued success, and we know that the city and the department are in good hands."
While attending a news conference Friday about a Downtown redevelopment plan, Gainey said that Scirotto "had to do what was best for him and his family."
He said he found out about Scirotto planning to retire this morning, but "had some conversations before." He did not elaborate and said he wanted to protect Scirotto's privacy.
Gainey, too, said that he has "total confidence" in Ragland as acting chief. When asked about the longer term, he said he would "talk about that later."
According to Gainey spokesperson Olga George, city officials have not determined their next steps for filling the police chief role because they received Scirotto’s resignation only a few hours earlier in the day. But the city's Friday-night statement said public safety department leaders "will now reevaluate the current command structure and corresponding salaries" in the police bureau, and would reflect a "final determination on remuneration regarding the affected positions" in the 2025 city budget.
Scirotto announced last week that he planned to return to the basketball court during his off hours — a reversal of the agreement he made with the city to discontinue that work when he accepted the chief's position in 2023. That announcement came hours after WPXI reported that Scirotto had already refereed a Big Ten basketball game earlier in October.
NCAA referees work part-time, and Scirotto last week said he would take a pay cut and use his own vacation and earned time to referee games elsewhere. He said Ragland would be promoted to deputy chief and serve as the city's chief law enforcement officer when he was out of town. Gainey told WESA last week that he’d decided to grant Scirotto’s desire to take on the side gig because of the city’s homicide rate had declined.
On Friday, Gainey reiterated that statement, saying that when Scirotto was hired, they talked about "if the homicides came down, and he wanted to run his program where he was taking kids to different activities as part of him reffing, we could talk about it, so we did."
That announcement stirred confusion and controversy, however, with the head of the police union, City Council Public Safety Chair Anthony Coghill and others raising questions about the scope, costs and other aspects of the work as well as Scirotto's reversal of his previous agreement.
In a statement on Oct. 17, Gainey said Scirotto “approached us about possibly needing to step down from his role in order to pursue this part-time refereeing gig, I said there must be a better way. He’s too good, and we are making too much progress, not to keep up the fight.”
Scirotto, however, told WESA on Wednesday that he did not give the mayor an ultimatum, but that the two “talked about, could I competently and confidently do both? And we agreed that I could,” he said.
“It was a conversation that, if I was or would be a distraction to the bureau, if I couldn't perform in the manner in which we both expect for the bureau, then it would be best for me to walk away. … I would have retired if we couldn't agree that I was capable and competent to do both," Scirotto said Wednesday.
Earlier in his career as a Pittsburgh officer and later in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, Scirotto drew some criticism for refereeing college basketball games on the side. At the time of his appointment to the chief’s post, Gainey said Scirotto would not referee games, and City Council unanimously voted to confirm him as chief last year.
'The only option there was'
Citizen Police Review Board executive director Beth Pittinger said this morning that she felt Scirotto’s retirement was “the right decision.”
“I think it allows him to go forward with what he really has a passion for doing, and he can go and enjoy himself,” she said. “I think for the city, it settles a lot of controversy that was disruptive and destructive to the community-police relationship and raised a lot of questions …This gives some stability to the bureau, as an organization.”
She hopes that the city will be more transparent in the process moving forward of searching for a new chief. She described the last search process that hired Scirotto as “secretive.”
“I hope that it’s a more transparent process this time, I hope that people who actually live in the city participate in it,” she said “We’re also looking at a bit of an interesting time — we’re going into a local election season, so that also becomes a factor. I think it makes it even more important that the public know what’s transpiring throughout the impending search.”
Pittinger also criticized a comment made by Gainey at a press event Thursday that Scirotto would take local kids with him to his refereeing appointments. Gainey did not specify details of the proposal, but Scirotto previously talked about wanting to create a youth engagement program that would teach officers and young people how to referee.
“That idea, it’s a nice, innovative idea, but it’s much more germane to Parks and Recreation, or the education system for career development,” she said.
City Councilor Theresa Kail Smith said she thinks Scirotto stepping down was “the only option there was” in response to the controversy.
“I think that the public had a lot of outcry of everything they were hearing, and more than anything, the way they were learning about everything,” she said.
Councilor Coghill said the news of Scirotto’s retirement is disappointing but not surprising, adding that many of his constituents have raised their concerns about the proposed refereeing arrangement during the past week, he said. He wants to see more transparency with the public, he said.
“[The] Pittsburgh police chief is, probably you can argue, the most important position is that we hire, that the mayor hires,” he said. “To think that it's going to be part-time is not acceptable. And it wasn't acceptable to my constituents. And I got that loud and clear.”
Coghill said he understands that refereeing is an opportunity for Scirotto to follow his passion, but added that he wishes Council had “a better understanding before we hired him” of the arrangement that Gainey claims to have made with him about reconsidering refereeing if the city's homicide rate decreased.
“We weren’t under that understanding. I was under the understanding that he wasn’t reffing while he was police chief,” Coghill said.
And there are still other public safety challenges in Pittsburgh, including low officer numbers, he said.
“It's nice to think in fairy tale land that, ‘Oh boy, the murder rate is down, you can go take another job now.’ But in reality, there's other things to focus on,” he said. “It doesn't mean you just say, ‘OK, everything's good now, and yeah, I'm fine with you being away four months of the year.’ ... It wasn't good by me, it wasn't good by my constituents, and quite frankly, I don't think it was good by most council members.”
Coghill said he plans to go ahead with a scheduled post-agenda before council Tuesday, at which he planned to ask and seek answers to questions about Scirotto's referring plans from the chief and other public safety officials. He says he still has a lot of questions for public safety officials, including Acting Chief Ragland.
Kail Smith said she, too, wants further discussion about next steps and the direction of the bureau.
“Council’s main concern is the safety of the residents of the city of Pittsburgh, the health of the bureau, and what role we play in that,” she said.
Kail Smith said she hopes city officials will consider looking internally for a new chief, and shes wants to see better communication about decisions overall. The new chief should be someone who can unite the police bureau, she said.
“Whoever it is in that leadership position has to be somebody that can build morale,” she said. “I feel that way, but I’m not making that decision. That’s a mayoral decision.”
Coghill also said he would prefer an internal search. He noted he would not vote to pay for a vetting process for out-of-town candidates, as was done when hiring Scirotto.
“I know of at least half a dozen, whether they be assistant chiefs or commanders, [candidates who] would be very qualified. I am not for spending more money on a national search. I want somebody to be in charge of our Pittsburgh police department who’s from Pittsburgh and knows Pittsburgh,” he said.
“I’m not for bringing an outsider in.”
'The right course for all of us.'
Scirotto alerted the police bureau of his plans in a memo shared Friday morning, in which he wrote:
Dear Team,
I am sharing significant news regarding my career and our beloved Pittsburgh Bureau of Police. This morning, I informed Mayor Gainey and Director Schmidt of my intention to retire as Chief of Police, with my last day being November 1st. After 25 years of dedicated service to the Bureau, this decision is rooted in pride, duty, and a deep commitment to our organization and the community we serve. This choice is made by me alone, in the best interest of my officers and the department.
Throughout my career, I have never shied away from a challenge. I have fought tirelessly for what is right, advocating for our officers and the community.
Recently, there has been substantial media coverage surrounding my dual role as a collegiate basketball official and the Chief of Police. While I have enjoyed this work and look forward to my upcoming officiating commitments, I recognize that this visibility has become a distraction for the department. I want to let you know that I have not given in to the opinions of a few individuals or the public's perception; instead, 1 am making this decision to prioritize the integrity and focus of our department. Optics matter, and my retirement is the right course for all of us.
Serving as your Chief has been one of the greatest honors of my life. Over the past 25 years, I have witnessed firsthand the unwavering dedication and professionalism you exhibit daily in your roles. Your commitment to ensuring our city's and community's safety does not go unnoticed, and I am incredibly proud to stand alongside such talented and brave individuals.
Each of you embodies the spirit of public service, and I have always considered you my extended family.
However, as I take this step back, I must acknowledge that my dual responsibilities have also affected my family. The demands of our work can sometimes strain our personal lives, and I encourage each of you to seek a healthy work-life balance as you continue your careers. Your well-being is paramount, and I hope you find time to prioritize both your professional and personal lives.
As we transition to this new chapter, Assistant Chief Ragland will serve as the acting chief until Mayor Gainey and Director Schmidt determine the next steps.
I have complete confidence in his abilities and leadership. He has the knowledge, experience, and integrity to guide us forward, and I know he will lead the Bureau with the same dedication and commitment that we all strive to uphold.
It is crucial to remember that the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police is more significant than any one individual. The true strength of our organization lies in the collective character, resilience, and commitment of every one of you. Your daily efforts build trust within our community and create a safe environment for all. I am proud of the culture we have made, and I am confident it will continue to thrive.
As I step away on November Ist, I carry countless memories and invaluable lessons learned during my 25 years here. I am grateful for the lifelong friendships I've built and the challenges we've overcome together.
Thank you for your support, your dedication, and your unwavering commitment to the community we serve.
Let's continue to uphold the values that make the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police an organization of excellence. Wear your badge with pride, knowing that you are part of a legacy of service that makes a real difference in the lives of our citizens.
Sincerely,
Chief Larry R. Scirotto
Pittsburgh Bureau of Police
Gainey — who made reforming the police bureau a key plank of his 2021 mayoral campaign — named Scirotto as his police chief in 2023 after a nearly yearlong search to replace former Chief Scott Schubert. At the time of his hiring, Scirotto — whose hiring marked a return to the force where he'd previously risen through the ranks — described the chief position as a "dream come true."
In naming his choice, Gainey said Scirotto’s "deep ties in this city, insider knowledge of the bureau and his outsider perspective makes him the right choice to be chief of police and to continue on with our right policing strategy,”
Scirotto spent two decades as a Pittsburgh officer, attaining the rank of assistant chief before leaving in 2018. Three years later, he was appointed chief of police in Fort Lauderdale but was fired less than a year later. The city accused Scirotto of using discriminatory hiring practices that favored non-white candidates. In a lawsuit filed in March against the city, Scirotto claims he was wrongfully terminated.
When asked then about whether Scirotto would still be allowed to referee NCAA games, Gainey said Scirotto had agreed to leave the referee job.
“We had a conversation about this, and at this time he will not be doing that,” the mayor said.
90.5 WESA reporters Kate Giammarise and Julia Fraser contributed to this report.
