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Please sign this Petition to Bring Justice In Pittsburgh for 2 Black Men Shot by Police

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The grand jury blasted Officer Swartzwelder for his conduct in connection with the investigation of two police shootings.

The grand jury accused the union president of trying to block investigators, orchestrating a lack of cooperation with them and acting with "deliberate malfeasance" and "utter disregard" for the police bureau's policies and ethical standards.

The grand jury said Officer Swartzwelder "fought at every stage to ensure those tasked with overseeing the investigation would not be provided with all the facts and evidence necessary to determine whether the officers were justified in their actions."

In the Jan. 22, 2017 fatal shooting of a Larimer homeowner by police, the report claimed that Officer Swartzwelder tried to impede the investigation by interfering with the ability of detectives from the district attorney's office to interview the officers involved or read them Miranda warnings.

In a non-fatal shooting in East Liberty on April 29, 2017, the grand jury said Officer Swartzwelder "bordered on criminal obstruction" by blocking district attorney's detectives from viewing or speaking with the officer who fired.

The FOP response said union officials "strongly object to the report's conclusions regarding the impropriety of [Officer] Swartzwelder's conduct" at the various incidents, and said he was doing his job as union president and protecting the rights of police officers.

At the time, Mayor Bill Peduto said that the city cooperated fully with the grand jury investigation, and emphasized that Allegheny County police now investigate the city's officer-involved shootings.

The petition claims that the grand jury report outlined a "culture of police corruption," and that Officer Swartzwelder "orchestrated a cover-up that kept investigators from determining if the shootings were justified and whether the officers who pulled the trigger should be held accountable." It added the accusation that superior officers "did nothing to stop him."

"We have to fire police officers who break the law and abuse their power, and confront police unions when they perpetuate a culture of corruption and impunity," it continued, calling on the mayor, city council and Pittsburgh police Chief Scott Schubert to fire Officer Swartzwelder.

Jasiri X said he knew that Officer Swartzwelder did not represent Mr. Rosfeld. However, he said, the Rosfeld trial is "one of the reasons why we wanted to talk about [Officer Swartzwelder] at this time.

"I'm a member of the Pittsburgh community. I don't hate police officers. ... In this moment where we're discussing police-community relations, the fact that he's still allowed to be in this position representing police officers, it's a shame on the police. ... His presence makes me feel unsafe."

He said that the petition will eventually be presented to city officials. The city has no legal obligation to respond to it.

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Two Pittsburgh police officers acted in the scope of their training in the fatal shooting last year of a Larimer man as they responded to a burglary call at his house, according to an Allegheny County grand jury report.

The report effectively cleared Officers Harrison Maddox and Brendan Flicker in the Jan. 22, 2017, death of Christopher Mark Thompkins, 57, and did not recommend criminal charges. The officers shot Thompkins, who had opened fire as they got to the front porch of his home at 129 Finley St.

"We find that an objectively reasonable officer faced with the same circumstances and with the same limited information that was available during the encounter would have taken similar actions. We do not recommend criminal charges in this matter," the grand jury concluded.

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