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City, Pittsburgh police battling over staffing for marathon

PITTSBURGH — The union representing Pittsburgh’s police officers says they’re being forced to work overtime for Sunday’s DICK's Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon.

The department was looking for 110 officers to volunteer to work during the marathon, but only 30 signed up.

As a result, the union said that off-duty officers were told they must work overtime.

Robert Swartzwelder, president of Fraternal Order of Police Fort Pitt Lodge No. 1, said earlier this week that it’s a violation of its labor agreement and he plans to file a grievance.

Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto told Channel 11's news exchange partners at TribLIVE that he's questioning the union's motives.

"These political games that are being done do not benefit anyone and they come at a cost of protecting the people," Peduto told TribLIVE.

The union says officers are burned out from working other city events and what they call secondary details.

Off-duty officers provide traffic control and security for special events. Businesses pay $800,000 in fees each year to the city to cover that cost.