Shared from the 4/19/2021 Mon Valley Independent eEdition

McKeesport using new system to track gunshots

ShotSpotter can provide details whenever a shot is fired in the city.

While speaking on police matters during this month’s council meeting, Mc-Keesport Mayor Michael Cherepko announced the ShotSpotter gunshot detection system is in use in the city.

“ShotSpotter is up and running through the vast majority of our city right now,” Cherepko said. “You’re talking about a system that will identify where shots are fired within a matter of feet. It’ll tell you how many, what caliber and it’ll allow our officers to respond much more quickly than someone calling into 911 on a shots fired call.

“Keep in mind when you call into 911, someone could have heard those shots from three streets away. So you still don’t have a good idea of where it’s at. And many times, whoever may have fired the shots are on the way.”

During his mayoral budget address in December, which looked back on 2020 and forward to 2021, Cherepko said a $99,000 allotment from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development would be used to install ShotSpotter. In March 2020, city council gave the mayor’s office the nod of approval to apply for the grant.

“It’s another resource we invested in to help make McKeesport — each and every day, we work to make it safer and a better place to live, a better place to work. And we will continue to do that.”

No members of the police department were present at the meeting.

The mayor also said the city currently has “probably pushing 150” cameras and License Plate Reader devices throughout the city to help fight and deter crime.

Renzie Park trail system upgrade project

In a matter related to recreation, upgrades to the trail system at Renziehausen Park were discussed at this month’s council meeting.

In January, Cherepko said 2020 Allegheny Regional Asset District funding would be used to “overhaul — including safety and accessibility improvements” the Lickert Walking Trail system.

For 25 years, RAD has invested in Allegheny County’s quality of life through financial support of public libraries, parks and trails, major regional facilities, arts and cultural organizations, sports and civic facilities, public transit and local municipal services. Dating back to 1995, the 1% sales and use tax paid by residents of and visitors to Allegheny County has resulted in a nearly $4 billion investment in the region.

For several years, RAD awarded operational and capital funding dollars to the city for Renzie Park, but because of the uncertain economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, capital grant applications for specific capital projects were not accepted for 2021 funding by RAD. However, the board did accept 112 operating grant applications totaling $107,995,906.

“It’ll tell you how many, what caliber and it’ll allow our officers to respond much more quickly than someone calling into 911 on a shots fired call.”
MICHAEL CHEREPKO
MCKEESPORT MAYOR

“While COVID caused RAD to take a major hit in terms of sales tax revenue, it will continue to honor its commitment to contractual assets such as Renziehausen Park in 2021 in terms of operational assistance,” Cherepko said in January. “While we may not take on major capital improvements there (in 2021), we will utilize our $760,704 RAD allotment in doing our best to keep Renzie beautiful for visitors from the City of McKeesport and across Allegheny County.”

At this month’s meeting, city electrician Tom Rosso said 6,250 feet of new trail, which will be 6 to 8 feet wide, is being installed as part of the overhaul of the trail system.

The mayor said all pavilions at Renzie will be accessible from the trail, meaning anyone renting a pavilion can drive their vehicles up to it, unload their picnic and party supplies and then park their car in one of the parking areas.

“We’re excited with the upgrades,” Cherepko said, later adding that “we’re going to have better access to our pavilions. More parking to the pavilions as well as we complete this trail.”

He said the trails at Renzie, and the park in general, are used frequently by people in McKeesport and from around the Mon Valley, stating that the trails at Renzie are “used pretty much 365 days per year.”

“I see people trucking through the snow sometimes,” the mayor said.

Cherepko said the city hopes to have trail construction completed this year.

“Please excuse the inconvenience of the trail under construction, but without question it’ll be a tremendous reward when it’s all said and done,” he said.

Council this month gave City Administrator Tom Maglicco permission to submit an approval request to PennDOT for a flashing crossing sign that the city hopes to install on Jimmy Beaumont Boulevard (portion of Tulip Drive).

The busy road, located in the heart of the park, allows motorists turning off of Eden Park Boulevard and coming from the Grandview neighborhood and the Lake Emilie area of the park to access the McKeesport Lions Club Bandshell, the McKeesport Garden Club and rose gardens, the McKeesport Regional History & Heritage Center and other park amenities, as well as the Haler Heights neighborhood.

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