Pittsburgh mayor, public safety respond to release of bodycam footage of Jim Rogers’ tasing

PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey and public safety officials are responding after the attorneys for Jim Rogers’ family released never-before-seen bodycam footage of the interaction between officers and Rogers before, during and after he was tased.

The video, which is 52 minutes long, begins with the 911 calls and is followed by the initial interaction between Officer Keith Edmonds and Rogers.

Rogers died a day after he was tased by a Pittsburgh Police officer who was investigating a report of a stolen bicycle in Bloomfield in 2021.

An Allegheny County Grand Jury heard testimony, but no officers were ever charged. Four were fired, but three have since been reinstated. Officer Edmonds is attempting to get his job back through an arbitration hearing.

Mayor Gainey and public safety officials released the following joint statement on Tuesday following the release of the video:

“The Pittsburgh Bureau of Police acknowledges that Mr. Todd Hollis, attorney for the family of Jim Rogers, has chosen to publicly release the body worn and dash camera footage of the Pittsburgh Police interaction with Jim Rogers on October 13, 2021, after the federal judge in the civil case granted permission for its release and dissemination.

“Police are aware that content of the video will be disturbing for many to watch and that people will want to know what we are doing to ensure that individuals in police custody are treated with care and respect. In addition to the thorough critical incident review and disciplinary action recommended for the involved officers following the death of Mr. Rogers, Pittsburgh Police have since made several policy and procedural improvements. These include:

• Assigning an officer with the specific task of monitoring prisoners during transfer to the nearest hospital with an emergency room
• Summoning EMS to respond every time a Taser is deployed, with medics evaluating the individual on scene
• Retraining all police personnel on how to avoid single officer tactics
• Training all officers on the “duty to intervene”
• Reviewing all body worn camera after every use of force

“Pittsburgh Police would again like to take this opportunity to express their deepest condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Jim Rogers and to reassure the public that the Bureau and its officers are fully committed to ensuring that all individuals in Pittsburgh Police custody are afforded the highest standard of care.

“It is important to note that the City is prohibited from releasing investigative information due to CHRIA, the Criminal History Record and Information Act. Furthermore, the decision on whether or not to release body camera video to the public does not fall under the City’s authority.

“The federal court issued an order pertaining to these materials under the Frierson case, GD No.: 22-523; Protective Order Amending Parties Stipulation for Confidential Litigation Materials. Please find the order attached here.

“The Bureau of Police and the Department of Public Safety have no further comment at this time.”

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