Bordentown still needs to answer questions about racist top cop’s legacy
A federal investigation regarding an alleged racist Bordentown Township police chief continues to ratchet concerns about how the department moves forward.
A Bordentown resident offered opinions in a recent email regarding “the absence of dialogue from town officials regarding this issue. There have been (minimal) forums to reach out to the community to allay our real concerns.”
Former Bordentown Police Chief Frank M. Nucera, Jr. pleaded not guilty to federal hate-crime assault charges in December 2017.
The Feds said Nucera lied to government agents and violated the civil rights of a young black man. One 2016 incident involved an alleged Nucera attack of an 18-yearold in which Nucera grabbed the handcuffed suspect and slammed his head against a metal door jamb.
Nucera’s folder includes an alleged history of racial epithets and discriminations aimed at black people, including the practice of positioning K-9 dogs near the entrance of high school gymnasiums. Nucera said that action intimidated black basketball fans.
The concerned Bordentown Twp. resident noted an understandable fear exists regarding potential residue left over from the former “chief’s ideology.”
Nucera had retired prior to the federal charges. Bordentown Twp. replaced its alleged cancer with Acting Chief Brian Pesce who in mid-November met with the Southern Burlington County NAACP chapter and community leaders.
Pesce reportedly told the group that “This was the action of one person. Please don’t let the alleged actions of one person taint the whole town. It’s a wonderful town.”
Bordentown Twp. officials should delete from conversations this line that Nucera, who held the top-cop position for nearly a decade, acted as a lone wolf.
One understands fear being part of the component for inaction by department officers although at some point, at least one officer summoned courage to record Nucera’s racial tirades.
Silence will always tether culpability, so, this idea that Nucera and only Nucera delivered this shadow to the door of Bordentown Twp. police serves as a misrepresentation of truth. If police want to say they were afraid to take on Nucera? Ok.
Everyone understands fear, knowing that speaking up can cause ostracization. We recognize this human characteristic when police departments espouse that 95 percent of their ranks qualify as good, decent people yet they fail to remove the five-percent which delivers department-wide recrimination.
Moving forward, it’s imperative that dialogue and conversations continue as positive change requires tough talks and determination to build an efficient, professional police force.
Bordentown Twp. Mayor Stephen Benowitz and Township Committee members will continue community discussions with a town hall meeting entitled “Helping Heal Our Community.”
A website notice explains that “In light of the recent events that have affected so many in our Township, we would like to hear from our community. Please join us on January 17th for an honest, open and positive discussion on how we collectively can move forward.”
The 7 p.m. event will be held at Bordentown Regional High School’s auditorium located at 318 Ward Ave., Bordentown, N.J.