With less than five weeks to go before the mayoral election, the two independents looking to unseat Mayor Luke Ravenstahl are criticizing his handling of public safety and saying there should be more emphasis on policing Pittsburgh neighborhoods.

Squirrel Hill attorney Kevin Acklin yesterday released a three-plank plan to hire 200 new police officers, name a "Neighborhood Safety Commission," and invest in further police training and education to stem departures from the police bureau.

Shadyside businessman Franco Dok Harris said that today he'll detail a plan that would use neighborhood business development and beat cop strategies to cut crime.

At a news conference, Mr. Acklin, who was raised in South Oakland, noted he comes from a family of firefighters and police, and his brother Dan is a state trooper in the Butler barracks. He became emotional while talking about worrying about his brother's safety, particularly when he was a young trooper stationed in Philadelphia.

"No other candidate has a stronger, more personal commitment to public safety than me, and I will make it a top priority when I am elected mayor," Mr. Acklin said.

He said the city's current neighborhood policing plans are a patchwork of uncoordinated programs that are accomplishing little. He said he would invest in block watches, domestic violence prevention and name a commission of police officers, public safety experts and community leaders to implement community-based plans.

He said many city police are leaving the bureau after less than a decade on the force and taking jobs in suburban departments that are safer and pay better. He said he would study increasing pay, benefits and safety measures for officers to stem the losses. "We're not incentivizing our officers and we're seeing the result."

He estimated the cost of his police initiatives at $17 million, which he said he could cover by trimming fat from the city's proposed $452.8 million 2010 budget.

"Kevin's numbers just don't add up," countered Ravenstahl campaign manager Paul McKrell. "It seems like every time someone tries to get elected to something they promise something that they can't deliver and can't pay for without raising taxes. Sadly, that's all his proposal is. But then again, that's what Wall Street did and we're all paying for it. A big corporate lawyer like Acklin should know that."

Mr. Harris, son of the former Steelers running back, said a mayor must "use every tool in your playbook to go after crime."

His three plays: "Bring business back into our neighborhoods," he said, to create walkable jobs and lots of eyes on crime.

"Start moving back toward beat cops," and work with the FBI and banks to follow the money trail to nab big gun traffickers.

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