Top Stories

Crime initiative gets drug, guns off Pittsburgh streets

PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh police have put a spotlight on one section of Pittsburgh on tracking down criminals.

These are the results of a combined community-police effort to clean up the streets.

Neighbors in Homewood and Lincoln-Lemington noticed more police the last couple of weeks, which Channel 11 has learned was part of a two-week crime reduction initiative by Zone 5 police.

From Feb. 20 to March 2, Zone 5 police brought in extra manpower to respond to an increase in violence and drugs in January and February.

TRENDING NOW:

"We didn't like what we were seeing, especially the first two months of (the) year when it's really cold and you would expect it to be quiet," said Zone 5 Cmdr. Jason Lando.

Lando's officers and detectives focused on the people the community told them were the drivers of violence.

Those officers on the streets and behind the scenes worked day and night, and that resulted in eight drug cases, four gun/drug cases and four other cases.

With tips from the community, they helped to get off the street illegal guns, a large amount of drugs and cash from selling drugs.

Lando told Channel 11 this is not the first time they've done one of these initiatives and it won't be the last. He wants to be transparent about the police work his officers are doing.

"We want people to know we're doing this in a responsible way and we're doing it based on tips we receive from community itself," he said.