Pittsburgh police chief orders new policy on officers' weapons use

PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Police Chief Nate Harper announced via email on Friday that he is putting a new policy regarding when officers use their weapons into effect.

In the email Harper sent to Pittsburgh police officers, he said, “No officer may discharge a firearm at or into a moving vehicle or its occupants unless there are shots being fired from that vehicle.”

The announcement of the change follows several incidents during the past few months involving Pittsburgh police.

According to authorities, last month, off-duty officers shot at a car involved in a high-speed chase that started in Homestead and ended on the South Side, and back in October, officers almost used their guns when Steelers’ rookie Alameda Ta’amu crashed into several cars on East Carson Street.

Additionally, several weeks ago, the city began a “South Side Blitz” to crack down on late-night behavior.

It is not clear whether this new policy change is because of the recent incidents on the South Side.

A spokesperson tells us this recommendation is under review.

WPXI