Figures lie and liars figure remains a consistent observation about crime statistics
Bat crap crazy.
That’s the scrubbed version of personal reaction to criticisms about Acting Police Director Carol Russell not knowing how many homicides have occurred in Trenton during 2018.
Anyone who considers not knowing that answer should mean Russell’s disqualification might think about psychological intervention.
Oh, the horror. Carol Russell had to look at her notes. We need leadership for the city’s police force; a plan that positions law enforcement officers in places where they can be effective.
Ask any city council member how many families of murder victims they spoke with after gun violence snatched their loved one? How many memorial services they attended? How many letters they wrote or phone calls were made to members of Congress about the proliferation of guns, violence and poverty?
By the way, former Trenton Police Director Joseph Santiago would have known the homicide question, understood crime, gave orders and demanded professional performances.
Santiago incorporated a ComStat program which collected data as a means to fight crime. All the cool cops did it and the initiative proved effective.
The current ComStat effort exists as a diluted version of Santiago’s as police disconnect from many initiations of the former top cop.
Santiago supported installation of police vehicle tracking devices to assure officers were on duty and working in Trenton. They were disconnected when Santiago departed.
Santiago created two satellite departments housed in the East Ward and West Ward. Those buildings stand as vacant monuments to a police director who attempted to implement real crime-fighting initiatives. People who have followed implemented a strategy to dismantle all Santiago successes, similar to the deconstruction of President Barack Obama efforts.
Trenton needs a police director who understands this job and can guide approximate 300 law enforcement employees.
We need a police director who can give orders without worrying about the website posts and pushback that tethers holding down a difficult job.
This year featured significant incidents inside police ranks, including an alleged FBI investigation; a possession of child porn confession by one officer; an arrest of another for alleged sexual assaults of children; allegations of extreme physical abuse meted out to citizens; and other events, which underscores performance problems.
Yet, members of City Council rarely challenged former police L.A. Parker is a Trentonian columnist. Find him on Twitter @LAParker6 or email him at LAParker@Trentonian.com.