You bring the dogs, I'll get the ponies

Rock on everyone! The Trenton Police Department is taking its show on the road!

Which show you ask? Well its the ComStat show of course!

For those not in the know, ComStat is the department's weekly analytical meeting where crime stats are examined and trends searched for. The meetings have long been held in secret each Thursday, but now, due to public demand, TPD's leaders are bringing the meetings out in the open. Tonight is the first of four such meetings scheduled for each ward. This first public airing of ComStat will be held tonight at 6 p.m. in the West Police District, at the corner of Hermitage Avenue and Artisan Street.

The department's own press release hyping the meeting admits that this public showing will be an "abbreviated version of our regularly scheduled meetings."

Anyone out there believe crime information will be discussed as frankly at this public presentation as it is during the closed door sessions? From what we understand, much of the scrutiny that results in downgraded crime statistics occurs at those meetings. Think that will happen tonight? We've even heard officers suggest wearing a wire into ComStat to show the public what really goes on there. Crime's down because they say its down and they say its down at ComStat.

That's why we're certain this series of community outreach meetings is sure to be little more than a string of dog and pony shows. But don't get us wrong, any outreach to the public can be a good thing. It's just that we can already tell you what the public wants and needs from the police department. You know why? Because they've already told us. They tell us all the time.

They want to see cops out walking the beat like they used to see. They want them out there so they get to know them, get to know their names so they know who to call when they're in trouble. They want them out there so that the officers get to know the neighborhoods and the people there who may be involved when something goes down. They want them out there telling the kids that can still be saved to get to school and the groups of thugs to move along before things get out of hand, and to be able to know the difference between the two.

They'll tell you, if you ask them, that their streets aren't the safest they've been since the 60s. They'll tell you they're afraid to leave their homes, especially at night and they'll tell you things have really gotten worse in the past three or four years--a time period that coincidentally mirrors two arrivals from Newark, one of them being the street gangs and the other, Police Director Joe Santiago and his tactics like ComStat.

Certainly we're not saying that those two arrivals are directly linked (unless someone out there has proof to the contrary) but we are saying that maybe the city would be better served by police administrators more concerned with the reality on the streets than they are with appearances.

But maybe we're wrong about it all. Maybe tonight's meeting will provide deep insight into the workings of both the criminal mind and the TPD, and maybe the public in attendance will have nothing but nice to say. But we're wondering...any potential anonymous police sources out there want to clue us in to the differences between tonight's meeting and the usual ComStat experience? If so, hit us up tonight so we can compare notes!

609-989-7800 ext. 229

You bring the dogs, I'll get the ponies

Rock on everyone! The Trenton Police Department is taking its show on the road!

Which show you ask? Well its the ComStat show of course!

For those not in the know, ComStat is the department's weekly analytical meeting where crime stats are examined and trends searched for. The meetings have long been held in secret each Thursday, but now, due to public demand, TPD's leaders are bringing the meetings out in the open. Tonight is the first of four such meetings scheduled for each ward. This first public airing of ComStat will be held tonight at 6 p.m. in the West Police District, at the corner of Hermitage Avenue and Artisan Street.

The department's own press release hyping the meeting admits that this public showing will be an "abbreviated version of our regularly scheduled meetings."

Anyone out there believe crime information will be discussed as frankly at this public presentation as it is during the closed door sessions? From what we understand, much of the scrutiny that results in downgraded crime statistics occurs at those meetings. Think that will happen tonight? We've even heard officers suggest wearing a wire into ComStat to show the public what really goes on there. Crime's down because they say its down and they say its down at ComStat.

That's why we're certain this series of community outreach meetings is sure to be little more than a string of dog and pony shows. But don't get us wrong, any outreach to the public can be a good thing. It's just that we can already tell you what the public wants and needs from the police department. You know why? Because they've already told us. They tell us all the time.

They want to see cops out walking the beat like they used to see. They want them out there so they get to know them, get to know their names so they know who to call when they're in trouble. They want them out there so that the officers get to know the neighborhoods and the people there who may be involved when something goes down. They want them out there telling the kids that can still be saved to get to school and the groups of thugs to move along before things get out of hand, and to be able to know the difference between the two.

They'll tell you, if you ask them, that their streets aren't the safest they've been since the 60s. They'll tell you they're afraid to leave their homes, especially at night and they'll tell you things have really gotten worse in the past three or four years--a time period that coincidentally mirrors two arrivals from Newark, one of them being the street gangs and the other, Police Director Joe Santiago and his tactics like ComStat.

Certainly we're not saying that those two arrivals are directly linked (unless someone out there has proof to the contrary) but we are saying that maybe the city would be better served by police administrators more concerned with the reality on the streets than they are with appearances.

But maybe we're wrong about it all. Maybe tonight's meeting will provide deep insight into the workings of both the criminal mind and the TPD, and maybe the public in attendance will have nothing but nice to say. But we're wondering...any potential anonymous police sources out there want to clue us in to the differences between tonight's meeting and the usual ComStat experience? If so, hit us up tonight so we can compare notes!

609-989-7800 ext. 229