New Pittsburgh police Chief Cameron McLay helped steer a police department known for hiring women and minorities, and building relationships in high-crime neighborhoods, one of his former bosses said. If City Council confirms him for the $109,106-a-year position, McLay will have to draw from that experience in Madison, Wis., to improve a police department that’s been criticized for having a tumultuous relationship with minorities and employing too few of them, said T. Rashad Byrdsong, a community activist in Homewood, one of Pittsburgh’s poorest neighborhoods. “We’re talking about racial profiling, police brutality and, in certain cases, death,â€? said Byrdsong, president and CEO of the Community Empowerment Association. “That in itself calls for a chief to have a good understanding of the demographics and the dynamics in our high-crime areas.â€? McLay, 56, could not be reached for comment. He is expected to begin work on Sept. 15. Randy Gaber, Madison’s assistant police chief, said McLay is prepared for Pittsburgh. McLay, a consultant for the International Association of Chiefs of Police, worked 29 years for the Madison police department, most recently as a captain in charge of a station. “I didn’t see anything that Cam wasn’t able to overcome quickly and excel in,â€? Gaber said. “He’s a people person. He likes to see the good in people; he likes to see people succeed and help them succeed. The people that work for him felt that he supported them.â€? McLay is coming to a city with 60,000 more residents, larger populations of minorities and poor residents and a lot more crime. In 2013, Madison police investigated 14,721 crimes, including 867 violent crimes. The North police district where McLay worked had the second-fewest number of reported crimes, 2,313. The breakdown in violent crime was five homicides, 61 rapes, 505 aggravated assaults and 296 robberies. Pittsburgh police last year investigated 30,133 crimes, including 2,362 violent crimes: 46 homicides, 90 rapes, 1,259 aggravated assaults and 967 robberies. Byrdsong said he would have preferred a minority police chief who is accustomed to problems in predominantly black neighborhoods. “Start to talk about how we can reduce incidents of racial profiling. How we can have a better relationship with the (police union). How they can train officers better. How we can address the culture where the police seem to be a separate entity within our community,â€? he said. Gaber said his department is known for community policing, which goes beyond foot or bike patrols. McLay is a product of that and was an “active participant,â€? Gaber said. “You have to understand that the approach to community policing runs from the chief to patrol officer,â€? said Gaber, who supervised McLay in a station and on a SWAT team. “It’s the ability to connect with the community and engage with the community, and have a very direct dialogue on what’s going on.â€? Madison prides itself on having a department that, for the most part, is more racially diverse than the city’s population. The department is about 32 percent female. Ten percent of the department is black, 2 percent is American Indian, 3 percent is Asian and 5 percent is Hispanic or Latino. Madison’s population is 75 percent white, 7 percent black, 0.4 percent American Indian, 7 percent Asian and 7 percent Hispanic or Latino, according to census figures. The department tries to recruit women and minorities, Gaber said. “He recognizes the value of diversity because he came from a department where that was a priority,â€? Gaber said. Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto and community leaders have called for more diversity among city officers. The mayor’s office is establishing a diversity advisory board that will focus on hiring and recruiting for city jobs, including in the police department. The department is 13 percent black and less than 1 percent each American Indian, Asian or Hispanic or Latino, according to the bureau. Pittsburgh’s population is 26 percent black, 0.2 percent American Indian, 4 percent Asian and 2 percent Hispanic or Latino, according to the census. In addition to council confirmation, McLay must pass Municipal Police Officers’ Education & Training Commission certification requirements for Pennsylvania police. State police Lt. Stephen Kiessling, assistant director of the commission, said the group waives training requirements for out-of-state officers certified in their home states but requires them to meet all other certification requirements, including passing a written exam and physical fitness test. Tim McNulty, spokesman for Peduto, said McLay will be acting chief, replacing acting chief Regina McDonald, until he is confirmed and fulfills the requirements. Bob Bauder and Margaret Harding are staff writers for Trib Total Media. Email Newsletters TribLIVE's Daily and Weekly email newsletters deliver the news you want and information you need, right to your inbox.