PITTSBURGH — Acting Pittsburgh Police Chief Christopher Ragland announced he is stepping down, citing ethical concerns over certain requests made during his tenure.
Ragland announced his resignation on March 4, saying he could not continue in the role after being asked to do things that went against his “ethics and morals,” WTAE reported.
“As a leader, you have to have some bright lines. You have to do the things that are moral, ethical and legal,” Ragland said at a news conference. “And when you are faced or requested or demanded to do certain things that maybe go against your bright lines, then you have to be prepared to walk away and that’s what I’m doing today.”
“There were certain demands placed on me that I felt went against my own ethics and morals that I could not live with,” he added.
While Ragland did not specify what the demands were, WPXI reports that his resignation comes amid ongoing scrutiny of the department’s leadership. The city’s police bureau has faced turmoil since last fall when WPXI uncovered that former Chief Larry Scirotto had resumed officiating college basketball — a job he had previously pledged to give up when taking the chief position.
Council members expressed frustration upon learning that Mayor Ed Gainey had made a deal allowing Scirotto to officiate up to 65 games after meeting certain crime benchmarks.
“It was really under false pretense that we hired him. Little did we know about the backdoor deal with Mayor Gainey,” City Councilman Anthony Coghill said at the time.
Ragland stepped in as acting chief following Scirotto’s resignation, inheriting a department with lower violent crime rates but severe staffing shortages.
In February, Gainey nominated Ragland for the permanent chief position, but the process quickly became contentious. The NAACP called for public hearings, and under new rules, city council planned to interview Ragland under oath before a confirmation vote.
Ragland clarified that his resignation was not a result of any actions by Gainey or his administration.
Following Ragland’s departure, Assistant Chief Martin Devine will serve as acting police chief, according to reports.
