Parents, youth and religious leaders claim children’s rights being violated by Pittsburgh Police

HAZELWOOD, Pa. — A group of Hazelwood parents, youth and religious leaders claim their children’s rights are being violated on a regular basis at the hands of Pittsburgh Police.

“They don’t wear their official police uniforms and stuff, they are in regular clothes in regular cars and they run around and harass our kids,” said James Cole, president of the Greater Hazelwood Youth Sports and Mentoring Organization.

According to Cole, police conduct illegal car searches, unwarranted frisks and continuously racially profile children and young adults in the area.

“They aren’t doing this in Squirrel Hill, they aren’t doing this in Mount Washington, they aren’t doing it in north hills, in Baldwin. And they aren’t going to do it in hazelwood.”

Channel 11 asked Pittsburgh Police Department about the claims coming from residents in Zone 4. Their response stated that the police are aware of the group’s concerns as the group had discussed them with the Zone 4 commander in the past. The response said the commander and his officers have ongoing communication with the group and are always open to sitting down with them at any time.

Pastor Lutal Love with Praise Temple Deliverance Church tells Channel 11 that the local community is open to meeting with the police again.

“We welcome it,” said Love. “This isn’t no anti-blue rally or anti-blue anything. They just need to realize they have bad actors and they need to take action against those bad actors.”

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