Independent mayoral candidate Kevin Acklin pledged today to hire 200 extra police officers and re-emphasize community policing if elected mayor in five weeks.

Mr. Acklin, a Squirrel Hill lawyer, said it would cost roughly $17 million to make the hires, which he would cover by cutting fat out of Mayor Luke Ravenstahl's $452.8 million budget. He would also invest in new training facilities and educational incentives to increase police officer retention.

"Right now, many of our police resources go into big public events like the G-20 and the Stanley Cup Finals, but not enough resources are committed day-to-day in our neighborhoods," he said at a press conference this morning.

He is running against the incumbent Democrat and fellow independent Franco "Dok" Harris in the Nov. 3 mayoral election. Mr. Harris is releasing his public safety plans tomorrow.

Mr. Acklin was raised in South Oakland and comes from a family of firefighters and police officers -- his brother Dan, a state trooper from the Butler barracks, was among the officers working the G-20. Mr. Acklin himself was caught up in the protesting in Oakland Friday night and was helped leave the area by police. He said he witnessed "nothing but professionalism and restraint" among police Friday night, but said, if mayor, he would name a blue-ribbon panel to investigate police actions.

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