Mayor Tony Mack attempted to disband the units shortly after mass police layoffs in late 2011, but Mercer County Prosecutor Joseph Bocchini intervened and the order was reversed. Watch video
In a February file photo, Trenton Tactical Anti-Crime unit Detective Stew Owens stood near a spot on Cass Street where a car chase ended.
TRENTON — Police Director Ralph Rivera Jr. moved today to make major changes to the department, reopening two police substations to bring officers into neighborhoods and disbanding the unit responsible for tracking down weapons and violent offenders, sources told The Times this afternoon.
The Tactical Anti-Crime (TAC) unit will be disbanded in favor of putting units in patrol, according to three sources with knowledge of the moves who were not allowed to comment publicly. The department’s two TAC units take a proactive approach to policing and roam citywide to track down drug dealers and gun criminals.
Mayor Tony Mack attempted to disband TAC shortly after mass police layoffs in late 2011. Then-acting Police Director Chris Doyle protested and county Prosecutor Joseph Bocchini mediated the dispute, leading to the order's cancellation.
Rivera could not immediately be reached for comment today. He made no mention of the unit's disbandment during two press conferences at the East and West precincts this morning and afternoon.
The precincts were built in 2006 to supplement the main police headquarters building on North Clinton Avenue, but had sat unused since the layoffs in Sept. 2011. Opening them up again will give police higher visibility in city neighborhoods, a quicker response time, and bring a greater sense of security to residents, officials said.
“We got in the way from knowing our residents,” Rivera said during the reopening of the East Ward precinct. “There’s been a certain disconnect that, quite frankly, is not healthy.”
He was joined by Mayor Tony Mack, who had criticized the substations when he was running for mayor the first time in 2006.
“They’re here, we’re stuck with ‘em, we’re going to make good use of ‘em,” Mack said today.
Previous coverage:
• Shuttered Trenton police substations to reopen to combat escalating city violence
• Trenton police director seeks additional State Police help for layoff-depleted department