Pittsburgh police Chief Larry Scirotto will retire from the bureau, officials said Friday, just 16 months after he was sworn in and a week after he announced he would return to officiating college basketball on the side.
His retirement will be effective Nov. 1. He will receive a yearly pension equal to his chief’s salary — $185,400 in 2024, the Post-Gazette reports.
Public Safety Director Lee Schmidt praised the changes and initiatives the chief brought to the table over the past year and a half but said his departure shouldn’t be seen as a setback.
“The chief didn’t do that alone,” Mr. Schmidt said. “He had strong assistant chiefs under him … plus the entire command staff and all the officers every day helping move this bureau forward.
The chief said in a press release Oct. 17 that he planned to return to refereeing NCAA basketball games — an announcement that surprised some city officials who were under the impression he’d given up the side job when he was tapped as chief in May 2023.
