Pittsburgh police officers no longer have to live within the city limits to keep their jobs.
Court Rules Pittsburgh Officers Can't be Required to Live in City
In an 18-page opinion, the Pennsylvania state Supreme Court on Monday ruled 6-0 in favor of the Fraternal Order of Police Fort Pitt Lodge No. 1, which won an arbitration award in 2014 allowing its approximately 870 officers to live within 25 air-miles of the City-County Building Downtown. Justice Debra Todd did not participate in the decision.
May 23, 2017
1 min to read
In an 18-page opinion, the Pennsylvania state Supreme Court on Monday ruled 6-0 in favor of the Fraternal Order of Police Fort Pitt Lodge No. 1, which won an arbitration award in 2014 allowing its approximately 870 officers to live within 25 air-miles of the City-County Building Downtown. Justice Debra Todd did not participate in the decision.
Robert Swartzwelder, the president of the FOP, called it a “huge win” for the city’s officers.
“We were very confident the Supreme Court would rule in our favor,” he said.
The dispute began in 2012, when the state Legislature repealed a residency mandate requiring officers in second-class cities to live within city limits. That opened the door for the police union to bargain the issue of residency with the city administration, which argued that officers should live within Pittsburgh limits to remain in tune with their community.
The issue also went to the voters in a referendum in 2013, with the electorate overwhelmingly supporting the residency requirement.
Mayor Bill Peduto said the city defended the requirement on behalf of the residents.
More Patrol
Brinc Unveils Guardian, Launching the Next Era of Drone as First Responder
Brinc’s new Guardian delivers 24/7 operations, Starlink connectivity, and a robotic charging nest that can swap batteries and change payload configurations without human intervention.
Read More →
Colorado State Patrol Releases 2025 Struck-By Analysis
The Colorado State Patrol, after analyzing its 2025 struck-by incidents, identified one area for improvement: using traffic cones to provide advanced warning before the cruiser's location. Here is the agency’s final data.
Read More →
Streamlight Names 144th Marketing Group Law Enforcement Sales Rep Agency of the Year
Streamlight has recognized the 144th Marketing Group as its 2025 Sales Rep Agency of the Year Award for the Law Enforcement market.
Read More →Streamlight Names 144th Marketing Group Law Enforcement Sales Rep Agency of the Year
Streamlight has recognized the 144th Marketing Group as its 2025 Sales Rep Agency of the Year Award for the Law Enforcement market.
Read More →
The Mission After the Moment
The mission of the Jorge Pastore Foundation is to support first responders through essential training, stronger community engagement, and mental wellness resources, all accessible and funded through donations, sponsorships, and foundation-led fundraising. It works closely with Team Wendy in the discussions about developing better protective gear for officers.
Read More →
Sponsored•March 17, 2026
Built for Patrol: How One Police Chief Fixed Communication, Boosted Visibility, and Changed the Culture
Patrol work hasn’t changed—but the expectations on officers have. See how one police chief helped officers get the right information at the right time, improve patrol visibility, and strengthen trust without adding complexity or surveillance. This real-world story shows how patrol-driven technology can make the job safer, smarter, and more effective—starting on day one.
Read More →
Sponsored•March 2, 2026
Safariland Solis Rethinks Concealable Duty
What if Level I retention didn’t require a full duty rig? Safariland’s Solis delivers trusted ALS security in a streamlined OWB platform built for administrative and plainclothes professionals who need protection without the bulk.
Read More →
K-9s Play a Critical Role in Finding Missing Persons
Real-world scenarios show that a tracking canine can detect and follow a human track several hours after it was made.
Read More →
Garmont Tactical’s LE Boot Lineup
In this video, we get a look at the latest law enforcement boots from Garmont Tactical, both for men and women. Kyle Ferdyn, sales manager, showcases four of the latest boots.
Read More →
Avon Protection Launches EXOSKIN-S2 High-Performance CBRN Protective Suit
With the commercial availability of Avon Protection’s EXOSKIN-S2, users now have increased options for their protective suit requirements across the spectrum of CBRN threat environments.
Read More →