Oh yeah? Well how do you like this?

More spite from the spurned

In the latest round of tit for tat, "former" Police Director Santiago and the Palmer Administration have deemed it a matter of efficiency to disband the Vice (Narcotics Enforcement) Unit and fold those seven detectives in the Criminal Investigation Bureau and TAC units.

It is simply another questionable management move from the man who refuses to live in the town he purports to serve and smacks of retaliation to those who have sought his removal for that very lack of residency.

It is also a continued knee-jerk response to last year's complaints of increasingly excessive police overtime expenses.

Funny thing, how he who once spent money like there was no tomorrow is now so fiscally conservative that he'd do away with a functioning police unit that actually brought in significant revenue by earning it's share of forfeiture funds and property.

Of course, this same top notch, non-resident manager is also the one lobbying for a $200,000 expenditure for new guns that the city could get for free from another supplier.

Gee---he couldn't be upset at the fact that so many have spoken out against that purchase that he's killing of the Vice unit out of spite, could he?

Wanna bet?

Just like out thin-skinned, egotistical and too often absent Mayor, Joseph Santiago is demonstrating similar child-like attributes.

The man who insisted we needed a mounted patrol...at untold costs for boarding, vet bills, tack, training, transportation, etc. is suddenly throwing a fiscal hissy fit.

The arrogance of the "former" Police Director is exceeded only by his incompetent leadership.

His final departure from Trenton cannot come soon enough.

But what about the horses?

TRENTON'S MAYOR CLAIMS IT IS ALL ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY

Setting aside the fact that he acted in violation of the City's residency ordinance by granting a residency waiver to Police Director Santiago, the Mayor claimed that the Feinberg ruling is jeopardizing the public safety of Trenton residents.

Right.

The loss of experienced, dedicated professionals under Santiago's heavy handed management didn't jeopardize our public safety?

The ever-increasing police overtime budgets for the first four years of Santiago's tenure that resulted in a physically and emotionally exhausted police force didn't jeopardize public safety?

And what about the money spent on worthless video surveillance cameras, redesigned badges, and multiple numbers of high-end vehicles for Santiago cronies to drive to and from work (while our street cops and detectives had to "make do" with an aging and decrepit fleet)? Did any of that improve public safety?

Let's not forget the money wasted on the mounted patrol units. Yes, they look pretty standing around on the street corners downtown on a nice day, but what about the cost of stabling, feeding, transporting, providing veterinary care? This improved public safety how?

The Mayor needs to drop any and all thoughts of appealing Feinberg's decision.

He needs to bid farewell to Joe Santiago (and Irv Bradley), and get back to running this city FOR THE PEOPLE!

If he's not willing to do that, then let's put him and Santiago each on one of those horses and send them off on their respective journey to their homes in the north lands.

With the two of them out of the way maybe we can start to feel safe again.