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Acting Pittsburgh police chief disbands unit that previously reported to former chief Harper
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Acting Pittsburgh police Chief Regina McDonald today disbanded one unit that had reported directly to the former chief and moved another under a commander's control.
The Community Technical Investigative and Preparedness Section, known colloquially as C-TIPS, no longer exists, and the bomb squad has now been ordered to report to Zone 6 commander Scott Schubert.
Chief McDonald declined to comment on the changes, calling them "internal personnel matters." She has previously said that she does not think any unit should report directly to the police chief or deputy police chief, to protect the chain of command.
C-TIPS was created by former police Chief Nate Harper shortly after he took over that role. Detectives in C-TIPS were hand-picked and served as a trouble-shooting squad for the chief, sometimes aiding in drug busts and sometimes helping to enforce safety at youth football games. A number of the C-TIPS members were friends with Mr. Harper.
The unit initially answered to Lt. Donna L. Sims and then moved under Mr. Harper's control. Many of its members will now report to narcotics and vice commander Cheryl Doubt.
Also on Monday, she ordered three people working on the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program to report to Assistant Chief of Operations Maurita Bryant.
After she took over for Mr. Harper a week and a half ago, Chief McDonald also ordered the bureau's personnel and finance office, which she described as the target of a federal investigation, to report to the assistant chief of administration instead of directly to the police chief.
First Published March 4, 2013 4:49 pm
