Police Director Sheilah A. Coley held an evening symposium with Latino community leaders on Tuesday, July 14 at City Hall, 319 E. State Street. Organized in partnership with the Guatemalan Civic Association, the two-hour discussion was moderated and translated by Pastor Karen Hernandez-Granzen of Westminster Presbyterian Church.

Attendees learned about how Director Coley is reorganizing the Trenton Police Department to perform better in this time of national calls for police reform and better accountability.

“I want to thank Mr. Ervin Chavez and Mr. Elmer Sandoval for their assistance in organizing the symposium,” said Director Coley. “Police departments across the U.S. are under significant scrutiny. It is incumbent upon us to strengthen our dialogue with all the people that we are sworn to protect and serve, particularly communities of color and immigrants.”

Michael Walker of the Office of the Mayor stated that “Communication is at the heart of organizational performance and were living in a time where police organizations across the country are under greater scrutiny.” Walker also mentioned that the heads of those organizations need to do a better job of reaching out to the citizenry and informing them of what it is they’re doing amid this unprecedented period of history.

The aim of the symposium, which exercised social distancing in accordance with CDC guidelines, was to enable Trenton Police Department to understand and meet the needs of the Latino community.

About Author