Zone 1 Community Relations Officer Forrest Hodges would like to remind Northsider’s to not text and drive under any circumstances.

Pennsylvania’s Texting While Driving Ban prohibits as a primary offense any driver from using an Interactive Wireless Communication Device (IWCD) to send, read or write a text-based communication while their vehicle is in motion.

As of January 29, 2014, approximately 353 incidents were reported throughout the Northside, which let to approximately 130 arrests.

The Northside Public Safety Council is a nonprofit corporation composed of community leaders, businesses, government officials the Housing Authority, property owners and the Zone 1 Pittsburgh Police.

The Northside Public Safety Committee meets the first Thursday of each month at 5:30 p.m. on the mezzanine level of The Northside Leadership Conference’s offices at 4 Allegheny Center. All are welcome.

A useful resource for the community is the Zone 1 website at www.pittsburghpa.gov/police/zone1.

For questions or concerns regarding crime or police presence, contact the Zone 1 Community Relations Officer, Forrest Hodges at forrest.hodges@pittsburghpa.gov.