Latest news with #TrentonPoliceDepartment
Yahoo
03-03-2025
- Yahoo
New Jersey Pastor Charged With Sexually Assaulting Teen
A New Jersey pastor has been charged for allegedly sexually assaulting a teenager in the Trenton area. According to ABC 6 Action News, Charles B. Brinson, 64, was arrested on February 19 by the Trenton Police Department following an investigation conducted by TPD and the Mercer County Prosecutor's Office. Brinson is accused of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old after allegedly rendering the minor unconscious with a 'substance in an unmarked bottle on two occasions.' Investigations have yielded evidence that the two attacks happened at the pastor's home, a location just a block down the street from Brinson Memorial Church Incorporated, in January and February 2025. A woman named Brooke Baker spoke to the news outlet about the jarring accusations flung at Brinson. She insisted that she actually never saw the man do anything positive for the community and never bonded with any of the neighborhood's residents. 'I've never seen him come out and do anything for the community, to come out and introduce himself to the residents or anything,' Baker recalled. 'To know that we had somebody that close that's doing things and we didn't know? It's kinda freaky.' According to this isn't the first time that Charles B. Brinson has been hit with these accusations if this kind. The religious figure was arrested back in 2008 for felony contact with a minor, where he was charged for sexually assaulting a 15-year-old Philadelphia native. The embattled pastor ended up pleading guilty in that case to one count of corruption of a minor, resulting in four years probation. Charles B. Brinson is currently being held at a jail in Mercer County, with a detention hearing arriving in mid-March. Law enforcement in the Trenton area is pleading with the community to come forth with more accounts pertaining to the pastor's alleged machinations. More from Diddy Faces Four New Lawsuits Through Gender-Motivated Violence Act Diddy's Lawyers Claim Tony Buzbee Improperly Filed 22 Lawsuits Against Him JAY-Z Rape Lawsuit Dismissed, Sues Tony Buzbee For Defamation
Yahoo
01-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trenton leadership looks for reform of police department after scorching DOJ investigation
The Brief New policies in the Trenton Police Department after a year-long investigation by the U.S. Justice Department. The initiatives are aimed at improving public safety, community relations and law enforcement operations. It's part of their vision to improve safety in the city. TRENTON, N.J. - Trenton leadership is responding to a scorching U.S. Justice Department Civil Rights Investigation Division of its police department. It found violence within the ranks of the police department and alleged constitutional violations of its residents. What we know There are 236 Trenton police officers in a department budgeted for 50 more. Their base pay is $40,000, under what nearby communities pay, and the U.S. Justice Department says Trenton cops are violent toward citizens. A probe of Trenton police by the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney, released in November, also found police routinely violated residents constitutional rights against unreasonable government searches and seizures. What they're saying Fearing trouble, a female resident of the city asked FOX 29 to withhold her identity in its broadcast report. She said, "I agree, I believe they're always looking for a problem, always looking for someone they feel they can overpower or lash out against no questions asked." In City Hall Friday, the mayor and police director spoke of reform. Mayor Reed Gusciora said, "We disbanded the tactical units that were out there. We initiated the 'Arrive Together' program. We've conducted training and brought in more supervision." The Arrive Together program pairs police with mental health providers. The mayor says Trenton is also working toward police accreditation, plans to train and hire 30 officers and has strengthened internal affairs. Gusciora says all of this is happening despite resignations and uncertainty surrounding the Justice Department's Civil Rights division under Donald Trump. Steve Wilson, the Trenton Police Director, said, "The idea is the police are part of the community, not separate from the community. Big picture view Funded at $37 million, Trenton leadership wants to hike the police budget by $6 million and says it's committed to "top-notch" public safety in a struggling city where residents demand change. Rasheed Zareef is a lifelong resident of Trenton. He says, the police, "Need to build trust with the community, number one, and get to know the citizens that they interact with everyday instead of being so gung-ho." In a statement, Jason Woodhead, the President of the Trenton Superior Officers Association, and also representing Trenton Police supervisors, wrote, the union "…fully supports constitutional policing and accountability. If improvements are necessary, we are committed to making those changes." He added, "To our community, we hear you and respect your concerns."
