Pittsburgh’s North Side residents glad to see increased police presence, but still work to be done

PITTSBURGH — Neighbors tell Channel 11 they’re glad to see more police in the North Side area, but there’s more work to be done.

Nineteen-year-old Robert Jamison is behind bars facing several charges. Pittsburgh police say he ran from officers after they caught him selling drugs on East Ohio Street Monday morning.

Police say Jamison had 83 stamp bags of heroin, crack cocaine and nearly $1,500 in cash.

Authorities claim they found even more drugs in his car.

“As we’re walking over to the North Side, there was someone sitting on the lawn in front of a business openly shooting up in their legs,” said Virginia Marshall.

“I see it all the time. As a matter of fact, I took my wife, she works for BGCA (Boys & Girls Clubs of America). I took her this morning and we had to yell at a woman who was shooting up across our street on Lockhart at 8:15 in the morning,” said John Lubarski.

Lubarski lives on the North Side. He’s one of many neighbors who tell Channel 11 drug selling, panhandling, and prostitution happen in broad daylight there every day.

“We have no systems. We have no public health systems. We have no mental health systems,” said Lubarski.

He’s one of several neighbors who attended a community meeting about safety and security at the Sue Murray Pool.

The opening comes after the community fought to have to have the pool up and running this summer.

Tuesday night, city officials told neighbors they plan to have a security guard at the pool from open to close.

They’re also planning to have more Pittsburgh police officers on foot patrol in Allegheny Commons East Park.

“It makes me feel good that there’s more police presence,” said Lubarski.

“Maybe that’s also what we need. We need better drug addiction services down here, or help for the homeless and obviously mental illness,” said Marshall.

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