Somehow a message got lost in a shuffle of emails that arrive daily. The sender referenced a highly-volatile incident between Trenton police officers and Dwayne, a city resident impacted by several life challenges including shelter insecurity. The January 13 confrontation generated public outcry after one police officer cursed and pushed Dwayne then offered this infamous demand — “Pack your sh*+ and get the (f-word) off.” A woman named Beverly wrote days after the altercation: “I just read your article about Dwayne on N Clinton Ave.  The bodycam video was absolutely heartbreaking. I’m a landlord and this is not ok…..Those officers failed Dwayne by not calling various agencies to get him off the streets. Officer 7433 is one I hope never to meet in any stressful situation. He was more concerned with being in charge and having the last word than doing the job impartially. I didn’t need to see him show compassion that he clearly does not possess, but it’s very evident that he has no respect for the very people he has been employed to serve and protect…….Don’t get me wrong, being a police officer in Trenton has to be challenging. Back in the day, we had officers who ruled with respect, dignity and pride, and we are thankful for their service. “Today, If you call officers to your home for any reason, the outcome may be unbearable. This is not the type of uncertainty that any of us should be living under. We pay our taxes and we deserve to be treated fairly and with respect. “My minister said the other day that the civil rights struggle of 2024 has to be one for mental illness. I agree with that 100%. So many people like Dwayne have lost their way in this world, and this situation needs our immediate attention if we are to advance in this country. Thank you for bringing this situation to light and giving Dwayne a much needed voice. “Many Blessings.” Wish that this message had been discovered earlier but incredibly pleased that Beverly, a church goer, responded to this disappointing incident. Some things have changed since police moved Dwayne with all his worldly possessions in George Page Park. Dwayne, that day, left several garbage bags of his belongings near a construction site trailer being used as a base camp for workers involved in the renovation of the East Trenton library. A return visit on January 17 found his items covered in snow. For a brief moment, fear existed that Dwayne had perished in freezing temperatures. Since then, Trenton joined a state initiated ARRIVE Together program that pairs mental health professionals with police officers during interactions with a resident potentially in need of behavioral health support and/or evaluation and provide those resources immediately when possible. If enacted properly with oversight from Attorney General Matthew Platkin, Trenton and other municipalities could produce positive outcomes in such matters. Unfortunately, this incident exposed a network of social service organizations that feared to advocate for Dwayne. They allowed politics to minimize mission statements about respect, humanity and rescue. City Council members said nothing. Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora matched that response. Police Director Steve Wilson? Nothing. One pastor, one, of all the Concerned Pastors of Trenton and New Jersey, stood up and preached truth during a rally sponsored by the NAACP Trenton chapter. “You judge a society by how well or how poorly it treats its most vulnerable citizens,” said Greater Mount Zion AME Rev. Charles Boyer, the executive director of Salvation and Social Justice. “What we saw in that video from that officer shows us we have a whole lot of work to do in the soul of the city of Trenton.” Since that fateful day in January when circumstances offered Trenton an opportunity to show brotherly love, Dwayne has not been seen, at least, not by these eyes. Did he perish in one of the numerous abandoned city-owned properties? Slip on the banks of the Assunpink Creek and drown? Move onto another town? For those who believe in a higher power, no matter how that deity receives reference, difficulty exists in believing that good fortune and grace shines on places or people who treat humans harshly. Take a real hard look at Trenton and give an honest assessment. Our capital city seems more cursed by the worst than blessed by the best.