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Larry Scirotto takes oath of office as next Pittsburgh police chief

Larry Scirotto takes oath of office as next Pittsburgh police chief
Larry Scirotto takes oath of office as next Pittsburgh police chief 00:41

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Larry Scirotto was sworn in as Pittsburgh's next chief of police on Wednesday. 

Scirotto was confirmed as the chief last week. He was selected after a nationwide search.

"We must be resolute in our pursuit of justice, yet mindful of the communities we serve. Our actions must always be guided by the principles of fairness, equity and respect," Scirotto said at his swearing-in ceremony.

Members of Pittsburgh City Council spoke, expressing confidence in Scirotto's ability to lead the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police. 

"There's so much going on in this city. Your work is definitely cut out for you, but I want to say that we definitely all think you're up to this job, you're up to this task," said Council President Theresa Kail-Smith.

Leaving Pittsburgh as an assistant chief back in 2018, Scirotto was named chief of Fort Lauderdale in 2021, but his tenure was brief. He was fired after being accused of reverse discrimination and promoting minority officers above white male officers. 

Scirotto said he promoted officers on merit and filed a $10 million lawsuit against Fort Lauderdale for defamation and wrongful termination. 

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