Duck & Cover!

As you all know, yesterday, over one hundred police officers were dismissed in the true sense of the word. Our Honorable Mayor held a press conference urging Trentonians to look on the bright side - the positive stuff - like parks! I'm surprised he didn't point out the Wall of Mayors and the fact he used a very flattering photo Carmen Armenti. As to the parks - well, I wouldn't brag about the Lamberton Street Park. I'm still not sure the loss of these officers will allow the barbarians to break in; hell, they've been running about for years. And there were some interesting quotes in The Trenton Times. Sammy Gonzalez said, "I feel the city has failed us, the state has failed us." The city and the state failed? I don't think so. I've watched the TPD ignore quality of life crimes; I've watched them drive right by SUVs blocking traffic, no-counts dealing drugs, and illegal gambling without a second look. I've also watched the TPD accept a Cadillac contract and enjoy it, and then get pissed when the word got out, "The city is broke." Did any union leader contact city council or the mayor to say, "Let's renegotiate the contracts?" No, never happened. Acting Police Director Chris Doyle is quoted as saying, "I just watched 105 police officers walk out of the police department who were loyal to the citizens of this city..." Most members of the TPD are so loyal to Trenton, they couldn't wait to get home the suburbs. It's been pointed out this morning that seventy odd years ago when Trenton had more residents, the police department had fewer officers. This correct. BUT...these officers also lived in the City of Trenton. There is something to be said for having a cop for a neighbor. When the Stewarts lived in Lindenhurst, a cop lived across the street. Whenever there was a minor incident, and because several teenagers lived on the street, there were several, especially in the summer, all Sgt. Allan Attwood had to do was walk to end of his driveway and LOOK. He was more often than not greeted with silly looks and, "We're going home; we're going home." And by God, they would go home. That's community policing. That's loyalty to your neighborhood. Not showing up for your shift and then going home to another community. But all the blame does not lie with the police. City government is at fault. We, the taxpayers, are also at fault because we never screamed like hell when our municipal government led us down the path to financial ruin. I believe Thomas Jefferson said, "The price of liberty is eternal vigilance." Well, Blogolanders, no one was vigilant so now we pay for it. Now that I've got your blood boiling, I'm off to have a cup of coffee.