Mayor sticks with losing hand of Russell as police director

Charlie, a local private country club golf member, became such a proficient poker card counter and player that many Atlantic City casinos and Philadelphia-area gambling establishments banned him from their premises.

Even while wearing disguises, gambling overlords eventually realized that the bearded guy or blonde-wigged man at Black Jack Table No. 4 claimed an exorbitant amount of wins. Charlie even owned an algorithmic advantage while playing Texas Hold ‘Em.

If politics allowed such advantages then Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora should schedule time with Charlie because at this point in time, the cards seemed stacked against the mayor’s police director nominee Carol Russell.

People may point to the exodus of former Acting Police Director Pedro Medina as offering a comparable situation placed before City Council members who will eventually participate in an advice and consent procedure that will deliver undisguised dissent.

Gusciora folded his Medina hand when he could have potentially won a 90-day extension but now holds onto Russell despite a plethora of issues that connect to the retired city police sergeant.

While Russell can claim community support and trust, Gusciora should explain how this flawed nominee moved to the top of his police director list.

The number one rule in political appointments and poker play involves Kenny Rogers’ “The Gambler” whose “know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em” directive remains crucial to survival in City Hall, The Tropicana or Parks Casino.

Coming from proud black American stock, there’s never been a desire for special treatment for advancement. Give me a level playing field, which can be difficult when most top business managers remain Caucasian males, then allow equal competition.

Good old boy networks exist in Democrat, Republican, liberal and conservative enclaves. Just because someone voted for Barack Obama for the presidency hardly means they have reached freedom from racist idiosyncrasies.

Of course, a correction of past U.S. systems, that allowed discrimination to prevent women and minorities from opportunity, remains a crucial component for rectification.

Reparations remain a worthy topic although each passing day moves any such resolution toward impossible.

Personally, just from learning about productivity and performance as a 7-year-old on a Winslow Twp. farm, not many people can out-work me.

Our mother employed as a domestic, and father, as a modernday sharecropper. We picked tomatoes, blueberries, peaches, and strawberries alongside Spanish-speaking brothers from sunrise until knock-off.

An 11-year-old desire involved getting my skin turned a royal color of black until it shimmered with such blue sheen that people suspected Nigerian heritage.

While college degrees, rank and other parameters offer no guarantees for success as city police director, end runs around these requirements defy explanation.

Yes, community support for a police director matters but those feelings and other emotions should never override requirements.

If the city police climate yields few minority and women sergeants, lieutenants and captains then ways exist for cultivation and creation of systems that produce minority sergeants, lieutenants, and captains.

By the way, Sgt. Russell outperformed many rank officers and even Mayor Douglas H. Palmer when she identified a much more serious gang problem than politicians and police brass would admit.

Russell’s public outcry and stance gained criticism and rebuke from peers, politicians and others but she delivered what turned out to be accurate information.

Amazingly, reports and community comments have made Acting Police Director Russell the focal point of derisive opinions when in fact, Mayor Gusciora delivered her to this critical appointment.

An alleged liberal press attacks the minority female instead of the CEO of the City of Trenton, atypical behavior from those unwilling to place blame and criticism in the appropriate camp.

The fear remains that time gets wasted as Gusciora named Medina in as acting director for 90 days then followed with Russell. Discussions about Russell’s chances of City Council support reveal difficult times ahead.

Bewilderment accompanies Gusciora’s desire to play out this hand as reality suggests Russell may struggle to attract two votes.

Gusciora’s recent attendance at the League of Municipalities convention in Atlantic City should have included casino visits.

The time has arrived for Gusciora to walk away from Sgt. Russell.

Or run.