April 2024. Blues Vol 40 No. 4

ARIZ. DEPUTY RETURNS TO

ARIZ. DEPUTY RETURNS TO WORK 6 MONTHS AFTER FALL- ING 15 FEET OFF OVERPASS By Joanna Putman Police1 COCHISE COUNTY, AZ. — Deputy Christopher Oletski, who fell 15 feet off an overpass while in pursuit of fleeing, smuggled migrants has returned to light duty, ABC 15 reported. ABC 15 has obtained body camera footage from the night of September 28, 2023, when Cochise County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Oletski was severely injured in the fall, according to the report. Oletski was assigned to the Criminal Interdiction Team, which focuses on human smuggling and drug trafficking. The incident occurred while the team was pursuing a suspected human smuggler. Oletski was attempting to deploy spike strips when he tripped and fell off the bridge, landing on an embankment. Clips from the released body camera footage show other officers trying to figure out how to get Oletski to an ambulance without causing more pain. “We don’t want to move his back at all,” officials can be heard saying. Oletski told ABC 15 he sustained substantial brain injuries and broke his femur, pelvis, right elbow and wrist. He does not remember the fall or several days that followed, according to the report. “The reason why I am OK with getting hurt is because in my eyes, the way I look at it, if I didn’t try to stop that vehicle, it was going to go up the road and maybe kill a family,” Oletski 68 The Blues - April ‘24 told ABC 15. “If I didn’t try to stop that vehicle, the driver could have made a terrible decision and killed the passengers inside of that vehicle. If I didn’t stop that vehicle, the passenger could have gone up the road or the driver could have gone up the road and killed themselves,” he said. Oletski will be on light duty for at least 12 to 18 more months before fully returning to duty, according to the report. PITTSBURGH POLICE WILL ONLY RESPOND TO CALLS OF IN-PROGRESS EMERGENCIES AS PART OF NEW STAFFING PLAN By Joanna Putman Police1 PITTSBURGH, PA. —The Pittsburgh Bureau of Police has implemented a new response policy. Beginning March 11, officers will only respond to calls of in-progress emergencies, WPXI reported. The policy is part of Chief Larry Scirotto’s efforts to reduce the bureau’s call volume from about 200,000 calls to about 50,000 calls this year, according to the report. Calls for criminal mischief, theft, harassment and many others will be handled by the telephone reporting unit or by online reporting. “That allows our officers to be engaged in community in a way, now they’re at the YMCA instead of sitting on the 10th Street bypass with a bike complaint,” Scirotto stated. The bureau will offload most parking issues to the Pittsburgh Parking Authority, according to the report. It will remove desk officers from precincts between the hours of 3 a.m.-7 a.m., and reduce the number of officers on overnight shifts. “The staffing plan designed by police command is a direct response to a seriously understaffed police department,” said Bob Swartzwelder, FOP union President. “Only time will tell if the plan works or the Chief will need to pivot and modify his plan quickly. The FOP will

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