Pittsburgh Mayor-Elect Corey O’Connor has announced his intention to nominate Jason Lando to serve as the next Chief of the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police (PBP). A Pittsburgh native, Lando is a 21-year veteran of the bureau and has served as Chief of the Frederick Police Department in Maryland since 2021.
“Jason Lando is the kind of leader we need as Chief of Police,” said Mayor-Elect O’Connor. “He is respected throughout the bureau for his service as an officer, working his way up through the ranks to commander. He has worked tirelessly to ensure that all of our officers have the skills and training to keep our communities safe. He understands the human element in emergencies on all sides and has developed effective programs to support both our officers and the community. Who better to lead Pittsburgh’s community-based policing model than someone who helped create it?”
During his career with the PBP, Lando served as Commander of Narcotics & Vice and spent five years as Commander of Zone 5, one of the busiest and most diverse zones in the city. He also served as a sergeant and lieutenant with an undercover narcotics detective unit, SWAT operator, crisis negotiator, and tactical negotiation team administrator. He received the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police Leadership Award in 2019 for his command role during the Tree of Life mass shooting response.
“It was my dream to be a Pittsburgh Police officer from the time I was five years old. Never did I imagine I would one day have the honor of leading this remarkable agency,” said Chief Lando. “I am confident we are going to do amazing things working together as police and community. I am honored and humbled that Mayor-Elect O’Connor has put his faith in me, and I am ready to get to work.”
During his tenure in Zone 5, Lando was an active participant in the community’s Public Safety Council. Zinna Scott, president of the Zone 5 Public Safety Council, expressed her support for the nomination.
“I’m glad to hear that Jason Lando is coming back to Pittsburgh and especially glad to hear he’s nominated to be the chief of the police department,” said Scott. “As president of the Zone 5 Public Safety Council over the past 10 years, I’ve worked with Jason in the Zone 5 area, which is very large with a wide variety of incomes and people. I watched the officers under Jason’s watch become more attentive and respectful to the African American population, as well as the other populations in Zone 5. Working with Jason was a pleasure and I’m sure it will be again. I’ve watched him while he has been in Frederick and saw all the great things he’s done. I hope he is able to implement many of those programs in our city. We deserve them. Welcome back, Jason Lando.”
As Chief in Frederick, Lando introduced a mental health tri-responder program, a multi-cultural liaison unit, and a resiliency and wellness group to support police staff, along with several other police and community relations initiatives.
