Parker: Calls of a break-in netted no police response
After two phone calls to the City of Trenton police dispatch, three conversations about what’s your emergency, what’s the address, followed by no police arrival for the next 45 minutes in response to a Jewish man wielding a hammer, accompanied by three Latinos attempting to break into a home on Franklin St., visiting a city council meeting seemed imperative.
Just a mental snap shot of the Fab Four should have peaked interest for a police drive by to witness a city version of “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer.”
Actually, my shoes never came off during an address to city council members about the aforementioned incident but gloves were removed. At one point, my right hand slapped the podium.
Kruschev, a Soviet Union leader, only brandished his shoe during the 902nd Plenary Meeting of the United Nations General Assembly held in New York in 1960.
Kruschev did interrupt and brush past Filipino rep Lorenzo Sumulong, avoiding a body check yet en route to calling him a lackey, stooge and jerk.
Those words were never gifted to city police Director Ernie Parrey, Jr. although a decade back we shared a similar moment inside a City Hall second-floor corridor.
Words such as “scumbag”, “corruption” and other niceties were unleashed as two of Parrey’s police pals physically dragged him away from our tete a tete.
Thursday night allowed five minutes of unfurled anger and disgust after the realization that under Parrey’s leadership, this city’s police force will not respond to a call for help regarding a Jewish man wielding a hammer, accompanied by three Latinos attempting to break into a home on Franklin St.
One wonders immediately if police will show up for a distress call about a black man holding a knife to the throat of an Italian woman?
Will police show up for a call about three Caucasian men beating a Latino or sexual assault phone calls, robbery, burglary, etc.
First and foremost any distressed caller, homeowner, victim or eyewitness must survive a dizzying, flight of the bee conversation with a dispatcher.
“Well, the first time you called, you didn’t leave an exact address,” she said.
A review of the audio will confirm significant information about a Jewish man wielding a hammer, accompanied by three Latinos were attempting to break into a home in the 100 block of Franklin St. near Mifflin St.
Plus, the dispatcher had my name and phone number if she needed clarification.
Leaders of this city, police officers, community activists ask for residents’ support to combat crime. They had my community part but 45 minutes later the police never connected.
Director Parrey repeats his “police can’t do it alone, the people have to help us” schtick until eyes turn from bleary to red.
During a time when residents remain under attack by criminals, neighborhoods come under siege by unscrupulous landlords of every race, religion and ethnic group and dispatchers give people the runaround, police will not respond. They take our money to their suburban homes and beach houses, eat lobster and shrimp scampi, send their kids to great colleges, vacation in paradises and dream of pension pay. Then we call for their help and they tell us to pound sand. Perhaps a residency in Mill Hill or Hiltonia could improve the odds of improved police relations. Need more perspective? A 2017 Trentonian article noted a feud existed between city police and firefighters. A report showed firefighters accrued $3.52 million in overtime while police officers collected $2.48 million in OT during the 2016-2017 fiscal year. Police voiced anger about being shorted almost $1.2 million. It’s good work if you can get it, especially if officers never respond to a call for help regarding a Jewish man wielding a hammer, accompanied by three Latinos attempting to break into a home on Franklin St. L.A. Parker is a Trentonian columnist. Reach him at laparker@trentonian.com. Follow him on Twitter@laparker6.