The legislation no longer bears Jordan Miles' name, but Pittsburgh City Council on Tuesday approved a package of bills designed to improve police accountability following the teenager's bloody confrontation with undercover officers in Homewood.

Councilman Ricky Burgess, who represents Homewood and sponsored the bills, originally titled them the "Jordan Miles Public Safety Reform Agenda." He said he dropped the reference to Mr. Miles after some council members, noting investigations into the incident were still under way, complained that naming legislation for him was premature.

Mr. Burgess said it was a reasonable trade-off to secure passage of the bills, which would require video cameras in police cars and set new rules for misconduct investigations. He said Mr. Miles and his family didn't object to the change.

"They basically said they wanted what would be best for the city of Pittsburgh, not what's best for them personally," Mr. Burgess said.

The bills wouldn't have prevented the Jordan Miles incident, but Mr. Burgess said they were designed to increase public confidence in the police department. Improved rapport, he said, will make for a safer city.

Three police officers working undercover in an unmarked car said Mr. Miles failed to stop when ordered to do so and resisted arrest. Mr. Miles said the officers beat him without provocation.

Charges against Mr. Miles were dismissed. The officers remain on paid leave, pending city and federal investigations of the Jan. 12 incident.

Under one of Mr. Burgess' bills, all newly purchased marked police vehicles must be equipped with video and audio recording equipment, and the equipment would have to be installed on the existing fleet within five years.

Mr. Burgess said the bill also gave police officials 90 days to develop a policy for use and storage of video and audio evidence captured by the devices. He predicted the recording devices would lead to a "more realistic portrayal of police in the community."

The police department already has installed recording devices in some cars.

A second bill directs the police chief to refer a use-of-force incident to the city Office of Municipal Investigations when it appears the officer violated departmental policy.

Mr. Burgess said the bill gave police officials more direction on when to bring in OMI, previously a discretionary matter. He said the legislation itself sent the message that the police department needs to be "pre-emptive" in addressing use-of-force incidents.

An earlier version of the bill contained still stronger language that would have required an officer be placed on paid leave until OMI completed its review.

Council also adopted Mr. Burgess' resolution urging the police department to complete an accreditation process in the "most expeditious manner" possible. The department is pursuing accreditation through the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association.

Still pending are a bill that would require the police department to publish an annual report with details about arrests and officer discipline, and legislation that would give the Citizen Police Review Board an explicit mandate to investigate all incidents in which the use of force results in death or serious injury.

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