February 2015
Trenton 365 On Location
February 23, 2015
Community/Police Dialogue
City-Wide Community/Police
Dialogue. Continuing our Local Conversation.
6:30-8:30pm, door open at 6pm.
This is a moderated dialogue and everyone has a
voice.
Moderators: Rev. Karen Hernandez-Granzen and
Patrick Hall
Mayor Jackson and Police Director Parrey will be
joining us for the dialogue.
Organized by the Trenton Citizens-Police
Advisory Council and the Trenton Police Department.
FREE PARKING is available behind the building, on
the street and in the State parking lots across the street and the other side
of the War Memorial off Memorial Drive. There is also a paid parking garage
next to the Wyndham Garden Hotel.
For more information on the dialogue: Maria Kelly
(mariagkelly7777@gmail.com 609-273-3490)
For more details see: www.CollaborationTrenton.com/Dialogue
Approximately 200 people were in attendance
for this rescheduled event held at the Historic Masonic Temple, which proved to
be a good location.
Moderators Rev. Karen Hernandez-Granzen
and former Mayoral Candidate Patrick Hall did a fine job keeping the evening
flowing along with coordinator Maria Kelly and the other members of the team. The City of Trenton Administration was
represented along with the TPD-Trenton Police Department and various
organizations, business and community leaders.
This gathering of “who’s who” in Trenton
Civic Engagement provided a first step to address concerns and the sharing of
information between citizens and the police. The panel included CPAC-Citizens Police
Advisory Committee, TCCA-Trenton Council of Civic Associations members,
residents and Police Director Ernest Parrey.
The audience was an adequate
representation of citizens in Trenton including the 3 largest ethnic
populations, African American or Black, Caucasian or White and Latino Hispanic
however noticeably missing were the youth and the under 25 years old
population.
Although much of the comments from the
citizens were an opportunity to vent or get issues off ones chest, questions
were asked regarding efforts to improve quality of life issues, traffic units,
treatment of residents by law enforcement, newly acquired vehicles and
more.
This event was a good start to developing
better relations between the police and residents of New Jersey’s Capital City
however the fact remains we have work to do in several areas but not limited to
the engagement of citizens in the process to make Trenton a better community,
including and actively listening to the youth and young adult residents,
addressing quality of life issues such as the enforcement of ordinances
regarding noise control, cleanliness, traffic violations and many other items
that are a staple to life in the surrounding communities of Ewing, Lawrence,
Hamilton, Princeton and Bordentown.
Dan Fatton, former President of the I Am
Trenton Foundation and a resident of the Mill Hill neighborhood, made
suggestions regarding policing and offered to work with Director Parrey and any
others in an effort to research the idea of decriminalizing marijuana in
Trenton NJ.
I find this subject very interesting
considering the early success of the 23 + States that have some law on the
books regarding the legalization/decriminalization or medical usage of the
plant.
A lack of person power, attracting new
business and funding are often brought up when it comes to the current status
of Trenton NJ, would a progressive step like legalizing or decriminalizing
marijuana turn Trenton around overnight?
Probably not but I haven’t heard many other suggestions that can/are
either. I believe we have a wonderful
opportunity to think and act
aggressively/progressively/creatively and globally in an effort to
improve Trenton NJ.
Remember “Trenton New Jersey is where
George Washington became George Washington” and therefore where the United
States of America was born!
