From today’s Trenton Times, in an article by Alex Zdan: “A [Trenton] police SUV occupied by two officers was patrolling the 600 block of [Stuyvesant] [A]venue late Monday night when it drove into an ambush by a rifle-toting gunman, who fired multiple shots and struck the vehicle five times, police said. Neither officer was injured, but one of the rounds stopped in the back of the passenger seat while another shot passed inches away from the driver’s head.”
The reaction to this horrible incident has been near universal condemnation. “I’m just thanking God none of the police officers were harmed. It would have been such a tragedy to lose a police officer in that manner,” said City Council President and At-Large Member Kathy McBride. NJ State President of the Policemen’s Benevolent Association wrote in a statement, “Every officer and citizen in this state should be outraged by the brazen nature of the criminals in our capital city.” And one tellmeanything commented on a Trentonian news story, “Shooting at Cops while they drive by to protect the neighborhood should have the phone ringing off the hook at the police station with names.”
Yep, near universal condemnation. Wait, not entirely universal? Who wouldn’t say that an ambush of police officers while patrolling on duty was a horrible crime? Who in the whole wide world could be so callous, so cruel, so totally out of touch?
“Mayor Tony Mack refused again yesterday to give his reaction to the attack on the police officers he commands. At the reopening of the Mill Hill Park yesterday afternoon, Mack said he didn’t want to comment on the shooting or recent spate of gun violence.”
Oh, really? I don’t understand!
“One of the things we want to do is make sure before we comment on police matters, the department director has done all he can do to resolve the crime before we make irresponsible comments,” Mayor Mack was quoted.
Huh. I still don’t get it. What kind of “irresponsible comments” could one conceivably make at this point? Was this ambush somehow NOT horrible? Is the mayor perhaps NOT grateful that neither of the police officers was unharmed? Is the Mayor angry perhaps at the bullet damage to the city vehicle?
I could accept the Mayor withholding judgment about, say, the guilt of a suspect right after arrest. That would be appropriate. I would agree if the mayor refused to speculate about possible specific connections to other crimes in the city. It would also be wrong to publicly disclose closely-guarded information held by the Police that would jeopardize investigations.
All that, I get.
But none of this applies. In this case, we are talking about an incident where two Trenton police officers were ambushed while on patrol, cowardly shot at multiple times by a gunman armed apparently with a high-powered rifle.
How can you Not Comment???? You Are The Mayor! How can you NOT condemn the Crime?
How can you NOT express gratitude for the safety of the Officers?
How can you NOT comfort the frightened policemen’s Families?
How can you NOT reassure worried neighborhood residents that you will see this criminal brought to Justice, So Help You God?
How can you NOT say anything? It’s too easy, I suppose, if you are Tony Mack.
According to the Times, “Mack said he didn’t want to comment on the shooting or recent spate of gun violence.” [Emphasis mine – KM]
This perhaps gives us a clue. For the Mayor to talk about “the recent spate of gun violence” might mean acknowledging that All Is Not Well in Trenton, that last Fall’s Layoff of one-third of the Police Department has left the remaining officers – and every citizen – dangerously vulnerable; that his “Comprehensive Crime Plan” has so far failed to halt the surge; that we are not “heading in the right direction,” as he kept desperately repeating in this year’s State of The City Address.
But he can not bring him to say any of these things. So, three days after a very close shave with two of Trenton’s Finest, and after over half a year of intense violence and increased levels of fear and danger, our Mayor doesn’t want to say anything about it.
Once again, Tony Mack has proved he knows Not One Thing about Leadership. Halfway through his abysmal term, not only has he failed to grow into his job, he continues to fade into irrelevance, a gutless wonder.
So true! So full of Incompetence, Ignorance, and so clueless! Unbelievable!
You took the words right out of my mouth… I am trully appalled at the mayor’s inability to be a real leader…
“Halfway through his abysmal term, not only has he failed to grow into his job, he continues to fade into irrelevance, a gutless wonder…”
You mean “abysmal FIRST term.” Because he will be re-elected. Because Trenton is That Freakin’ Stupid. I hope, pray, dream that Trenton will prove me wrong, but Trenton has yet to prove me wrong.