Paul Perez Outlines Public Safety Agenda

Trenton Mayoral Candidate Paul Perez has released a multi-page Public Safety Agenda that outlines specific plans his administration will take to have the police department become an accredited organization that is positioned to: compete for grant funding; improve operations; enhance training; modernize its aging fleet and equipment; build diversity through recruitment; and upgrade the professionalism of the force.

Perez believes effective law enforcement is central to Trenton’s revitalization. “The city’s historic inabilities to control low-level crime, and consistently enforce quality of life ordinances have contributed to a loss in: population; homeownership; new business creation; and financial investments. Our plan is geared to turn all of that around,” he explained.

The Perez Plan’s goal is that Trenton becomes a metropolitan center of excellence in which:

Public safety works in tandem with other departments of city government to improve the overall safety of Trenton residents.

Police Officers become an integral part of the community through outreach, interaction, and improved understanding.

Social service agencies become partners in efforts assisting those addicted to opioids and other substances.

Partnerships developed with educational, health and social service organizations are fully formalized and integrated into the overall public safety plan.

Training, equipment and resources are increased to support improved performance in all areas of public safety.

On-going priority is given to outreach in recruiting local residents to serve in public safety positions.

Recruitment priorities are focused on expanding diversity of the force to more closely reflect the composition of the city’s communities.

Strategic objectives to reach this goal include action in these key areas:

Improving Professionalism within the Department

Become nationally accredited through CALEA (The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies), a structured, rigorous examination of all aspects of police work in Trenton. The process will a cornerstone of increasing the professionalism of our force. Accreditation will also substantially increase Trenton’s eligibility for and capacity to use federal and private foundation grants for training, staffing, and equipment.

Improve the overall training curriculum to continually enhance the skills of officers including areas such as crime reduction, evidence collection, use of technology, community engagement, trauma-informed strategies, coordination with other agencies, etc.

Work with the Mayor and Council to expand the overall number of officers to continually improve the services provided.

Increasing Diversity within the Department to more Closely Mirror the Community

Undertake deliberate steps to help ensure that those who ensure our safety (in all capacities in our department reflect the composition of our city.

Create a pipeline to police enforcement positions by creating and promoting a new Advanced Placement course of study in law enforcement and security available for our city’s youth.

Expand our Police Explorers program for younger students to provide them opportunities to understand the dimensions and potential jobs available to them in law enforcement.

Improving Departmental Organization and Structure

Creating an overall public safety strategic plan that places an emphasis on placing responsibility and accountability on all officers to improve professional performance of their duties.

Replacing those officers in administrative positions with qualified civilians and returning those replaced officers into law enforcement roles.

Creating an overall Special Operations Bureau to group together the various specialized units under one umbrella to work towards unified goals and objectives.

Create a Traffic Unit to target motor vehicle violations to make the city a safer place for both pedestrians and drivers.

Promote improved communication between central administrators and officers using recognized best practices to improve the overall morale of all department members.

Developing and implementing a Police Volunteer Corps to offer community members to receive appropriate training and be deployed to supplement police resources in ways that are appropriate, emphasize safety of both volunteers and community members, and create another link between the professional police officer force and the community.

Increased Links with Community Agencies and Community Residents

Work with outside law enforcement agencies, including county, state, regional and federal law enforcement, and integrate them into the overall public safety plan to reduce duplication of efforts and to improve communication and better target resources.

Increase and support department and individual officer involvement in community activities and expand outreach efforts to maintain a strong, positive image of the department within the community.

Assist with the high schools and area colleges in creating an advanced-placement first responder’s curriculum for high school seniors.

Under the overall strategic City Security Plan, Perez describes how more effective and responsive policing will be developed through new strategies for the units involved with patrol, traffic, crime suppression, K9s, homicides, shooting responses, robberies and assaults, special victims, crime scenes and juveniles.

“Under our plan, the City of Trenton will improve the efficiency and effectiveness of public safety services through competent management, an integrated police department with a specific and improved public safety plan, and by creating partnerships with the community to combat crime and improve the lives of those who live, work, and play in the city,” Perez concluded. Partners, Harrison has helped families rebuild in the wake of losing a loved one to gun violence or drug overdose.

In developing his plan for safe communities, Harrison spoke with parents, young adults, students, and police.

Harrison’s will make Trenton’s streets safe and build trust in neighborhoods by:

Hiring additional police officers who live in Trenton. Our police force is stretched thin, and hiring more officers who are from Trenton will help fill in the gaps and prevent problems that occur when officers patrol communities they do not understand. This initiative will also open new doors for young people in Trenton by providing training and education that will prepare them for college or a career in public service. they serve, and that requires training them so they are well-prepared to handle any situation that arises while they are on the beat.

Harrison also knows that just hiring more police and implementing better technology are not going to solve Trenton’s problems with violence and crime. He has a plan to make the bold changes Trenton needs to eliminate violence and crime by taking on all aspects of the issue. That means:

- Creating new jobs and opportunities—Harrison has a plan to jumpstart an economic revolution in Trenton by bringing in new businesses, expanding training programs for Trenton’s workers, and opening up new educational opportunities for students

- Revitalizing our neighborhoods—Harrison will revitalize abandoned buildings, crack down on illegal dumping, and create a community Clean-Up Squad to pick up litter