Rep. Watson Coleman Statement on Recent Violence in Trenton

Rep. Watson Coleman Statement on Recent Violence in Trenton

The tragedy of Sunday's shooting highlights the need to do better by the people of Trenton. The city's unique role as our state capital means responsibility falls not just on the city, but on all levels of government and community members.

This block party, while unsanctioned, was not unknown to Trenton Police. A visible police presence could very well have prevented tragedy, and the lack of communication between city departments created the conditions that allowed Sunday's events.

While we pray for the victims and their loved ones, we have a duty to them and others to make Trenton the great city we know it can be. The people of Trenton deserve to feel safe in their communities. This will require collaborative intelligence gathering and sharing, improved community/police relationships, and visible police presence to deter those who would subject our neighbors to terrible violence.

This is not out of reach; city-wide, violent crime is down over the last decade. However, the feeling of safety is not shared equally. Too many neighborhoods still suffer from deep poverty and its impact on community safety.

The burden for this change cannot be laid squarely at the feet of the city of Trenton. An enormous amount of local property tax revenue is lost to land occupied by the State and County buildings and parks, starving the city government of financial resources. That is not unique to Trenton, but the investments required to make the Capital City the jewel I know it can be will require a change in how we view our responsibility to it.

There was a time when the city, county, and state closely collaborated to ensure Trenton's safety - and not just the blocks surrounding State Street. We recognized that the Capital City was more than merely a place where the Assembly and Senate gathered to pass laws and budgets. It represented the State of New Jersey itself: a city with a rich past and one that deserved a rich future. We need to return to that understanding of shared responsibility.

Long term, we will need the state and county to pitch in the resources necessary to establish real poverty reduction and jobs programs while also collaborating on the community policing, intelligence, and visual police presence that will give the great people of Trenton confidence in their own safety as they walk the streets.

The city of Trenton has given so much to the world; it's time for all of us to come together to ensure Trenton has what it needs to shine once more.