Just last week, state and local leaders, including Gov. Josh Shapiro, convened on the North Shore to tout Pittsburgh’s success at revitalizing Downtown in advance of the 2026 NFL Draft. Among the programs these leaders credited, and to which (among other projects) the Steelers and Pirates have each committed $1 million, was the city’s law enforcement co-response system.

Suddenly, this week, it was canceled.

In this system, social workers accompany police officers to incidents where their expertise could supplement law enforcement, possibly heading off conflicts and perhaps saving lives. The Gainey administration’s decision to end the program is a stunning retreat for a mayor who once placed improving the relationship between police and the community at the center of his administration.

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