PITTSBURGH — Local Fraternal Order of Police leadership is calling for answers from the City of Pittsburgh over the release of bodycam videos from an incident involving ICE.
11 Investigates has obtained a letter to the city from FOP Fort Pitt Lodge No. 1 President Robert Swartzwelder.
In the letter, Swartzwelder requests to see the agreement that allowed the bodycam videos’ release — an action he claims led to FOP members being subjected to “threats and significant public ridicule.”
According to Swartzwelder, Immigration and Customs Enforcement requested assistance from Pittsburgh police through a 911 call on Dec. 17.
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Officers responded and recorded the incident on their bodycams as policy requires, Swartzwelder says.
Per the letter, the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office later served the city with a Freedom of Information Act request from a member of the public.
By law, the city is not required to release FOIA requests to the DA’s office that aren’t criminal evidence-based, Swartzwelder says, adding that bodycam video belongs to the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police.
Somehow, Swartzwelder says, this FOIA request was not sent to the city’s law department and FOIA/Right To Know office, nor were officers notified that their bodycam videos would be released.
Swartzwelder claims the videos were released to the DA’s office, which provided them to the requester, an “anti-police group.”
That group then posted the videos on social media, identifying the officers in them and demanding they be fired, Swartzwelder alleges.
If there is an agreement between the city and the DA’s office that allows for non-criminal investigative releases, Swartzwelder asks that the city provide him with that agreement by Wednesday.
“The city is obligated to provide this agreement because the City’s policy, if true, has now exposed numerous City officers (FOP Members) and their families to safety threats,” Swartzwelder’s letter reads.
Channel 11 has reached out to the City of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Public Safety and the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office about the letter. We’ll let you know as soon as we hear back.
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