PITTSBURGH — A Pittsburgh Police Academy trainee resigned after being accused of shoplifting a $9 set of Pokémon cards from a Target store in Monroeville. Sources informed 11 Investigates that the trainee was wearing a Pittsburgh Police Academy shirt during the incident.
The recruit had recently started instruction at the academy located on Pittsburgh’s North Side before supposedly failing to scan the merchandise at the store checkout.
A second recruit who had completed the academy and started field training was fired.
Sources told 11 Investigates that the trainee made inappropriate comments to a female officer.
He was fired by the city.
Beth Pittinger, executive director of the Pittsburgh Citizen Police Review Board, described the recruit’s actions as “ridiculously immature behavior” and stated that such outcomes occur when recruitment criteria are reduced.
Pittinger pointed to a decision by the city’s prior administration to drop the mandate requiring 60 college credits for academy admission after experiencing a consistent decline in applicants.
Pittinger stated that the situation highlights broader concerns regarding recruit qualifications. S
he said the incident suggests “social inexperience, a lack of personal maturity and deficits in analytical and problem-solving abilities, as well as challenges in interacting with individuals who are not like they are.”
Despite the incident, Pittinger noted that the swift disciplinary action should serve as a positive sign for the community.
She stated that because both individuals involved were terminated, it ought to help rebuild a degree of confidence in the current administration’s efforts to regain trust regarding officer conduct.
11 Investigates learned that charges are expected to be filed soon in the Pokémon card case.
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