Headline shock gives way to old stories about Trenton police
I recently was taken aback by a headline I read that stated that “30 Trenton cops involved in alleged misconduct.” Like many who read that headline, I was shocked by that revelation. I had retired in 2018, and never remembered officers being involved in that kind of behavior to that degree. But as I read the actual article I came to realize that it was mostly frosting with no cake.
The actual “confidential memo” that was the focus of this article was just a law firm’s synopsis and updates into ongoing disciplinary issues going back nine years.
The point of the memo was to provide information to City Council on the merits of approving a $175,000 contract to Trimboli & Prusinowski Law Firm to continue pursuing resolution to these matters.
While the memo details thirty officers involved in disciplinary matters, only two of the officers named were actually involved in abusive and criminal behavior.
These two officers have already been fired or suspended, even as the two cases have yet to be completely resolved.
The other remaining officers were disciplined through the internal disciplinary process. Supervisors doing their jobs and ensuring officers following policies and procedures.
While there are those that question the merits of having officers investigating officers, the Trenton Police Department supervisors and Internal Affairs appear to recognize and address discipline issues. All of the officers charged included supervisors, men, women, and white, black, and Latino officers. There does not appear to be any bias’ and from reading each of the issues, deserving of at least, an investigation.
But isn’t that what internal discipline is about? Identifying weaknesses and utilizing progressive discipline to fix negative behavior? By utilizing this process correctly, officers can become better at their jobs and will recognize the proper behavior when faced with a similar situation in the future.
This article attempted to draw a connection into why internal affairs records of officers sentenced to serious punishment should be presented to the public. But what does an officer being charged with being out of uniform, or insubordination in the way he speaks to a supervisor, provide any benefit to the public? The crazy part is that almost all of these issues have already been in the newspaper. There was nothing other than the truly minor disciplinary matters, that wasn’t already written about.
Transparency must play a role in any new age police department. It has its place and works toward providing faith in the police. This memo, even as most of the cases are not within Attorney Grewal’s guidelines on transparency, demonstrates that the Trenton police department takes progressive discipline seriously.
What truly stood out to me, was the fact that some of these cases went back nine years. That officers have moved on with their careers with these unsupported investigations still lingering and the refusal of police directors and city leaders to deal with these issues in a timely manner. This memo did nothing but provide evidence of how poorly the city deals with these disciplinary matters especially involving officers that are innocent of accusations.
Aside from a young councilman’s orgasmic declarations as he was made aware of the “smoking gun” about this memo, most folks read it for what it truly was. A big “nothing burger” as another council person likes to say.
Once again, this councilman affirmed his antipolice viewpoint and rhetoric as he stated without evidence, “for decades, Trentonians have been sounding the alarm about police misconduct. The release of these documents shows that the people of Trenton were not making this stuff up.” I would truly like to see this young councilman explain how this memo proves that.
I don’t believe too many citizens complain about an officer not wearing their uniform properly, or about a number of officers defending themselves from a brutal attack at a bar. I honestly don’t believe too many Trentonians actually care about those issues.
Where this councilman is missing in action are the real concerns of this city. The crime and murder that has become almost commonplace in a city barely seven and half miles. And I am sure there will be some that will attempt to connect Trenton’s murder and mayhem to what’s happening around the country. But you can’t compare what’s happening in
New York City, and Chicago to what is happening in Trenton. In those cities, the mayor and council have publicly turned their backs on the police and have martyred criminals, leaving themselves open to what is currently happening in those areas.
In Trenton, at least from what I have read and seen, Mayor Gusciora supports the police. He holds onto faith that Director Coley will come up with an actual plan to better control the violence, even as her only plan is that the city needs more police.
If this young councilman worried half as much to the violence plaguing Trenton as he does to constantly demonstrating his hatred and disdain of the police, he may actually be a part of the solution. Instead he makes unsupported bias statements about memos that do nothing to improve the services the police department provides and does nothing to improve officer-community relationships.
Where this councilman is missing in action are the real concerns of this city. The crime and murder that has become almost commonplace in a city barely seven and half miles.