Trenton council prez calls out police director over violence
TRENTON » Where in the city of Trenton is Sheilah Coley?
Council President Kathy McBride wanted to question the police director about a violent stretch in the capital city, including a 7-hour standoff in North Trenton, but she was missing in action Tuesday night.
Coley did not attend the workshop meeting, with Trenton Police Capt. Stephen Varn pinch-hitting for her.
McBride mentioned the city’s first murder of 2020, a triple shooting Friday night outside a West Ward housing complex that injured a man and two women and a standoff over the weekend.
“We didn’t hear anything. We were never informed of any of the incidents,” McBride said, addressing Varn. “No one addressed the public. I’m just trying to figure out what’s going on. I had to call the city to let them know there was a standoff on Middle Rose Street. The police director, she needs to come to us. We haven’t had a plan here. The worst type of violation is when someone goes into someone’s home. When you can’t be safe in your own home, this is outrageous. We need to discuss that. I don’t think that needs to fall on you.”
City officials have said that 24-year-old Staquasia Harris was killed during a “targeted” home invasion on Wednesday on the first block of Elm Street. No arrests have been announced in Harris’ death.
Trenton Police were also involved in a standoff with Shawn James Moore of Trenton. He barricaded himself inside a home on the first block of Middle Rose Street after an argument with another individual escalated into a shooting.
No one was injured in the shooting, but a vehicle was struck. Police used tear gas to get Moore to surrender just after 11 p.m.
Varn, in Coley’s place, attempted to assuage the council’s president’s concern, saying the police department reviews intelligence daily to reduce violent crime.
“We can’t prevent everything that happens,” Varn said. “We have our noses to the grindstone.”
That answer didn’t satisfy McBride, who expected more from Coley after having risen through the ranks in the Newark Police, and coming highly recommended to the capital city.
“We accepted the director with open arms,” the council president said. “She’s coming from Newark, and we’re dealing with five square miles here.”
At-large councilman Jerell Blakeley, appearing to tweak his colleague, suggested West Ward residents are “under siege.”
He said he’s been in touch with constituents in that part of the city to assure them that they have a “council member who is really, really working to make sure their issues are addressed.”
West Ward councilwoman Robin Vaughn took exception to Blakeley’s dig, and the two exchanged words, with the councilman suggesting his colleague misheard him.
“Maybe I’m quoting him incorrectly,” Vaughn said, before defending Coley. “I have total confidence in the police director. We all unanimously voted her in. If we’re going to call her out for living outside of these borders …”
McBride interrupted the West Ward councilman, clarifying she wasn’t calling out the police director for apparently not living in Trenton.
“She’s hearing things,” Blakeley said of Vaughn.
Blakeley and Vaughn spent much of the meeting bantering with each other.
Vaughn cracked up laughing earlier in the night while Blakeley was speaking and left the room to compose herself.
Blakeley turned to The Trentonian and remarked: “Someone hasn’t taken her medicine today.”