Trenton police held one-on-one discussions with members of the community Saturday, urging them to put in applications
TRENTON - Police are looking for recruits who want to help better their city.
On Saturday members of the department held a talk for around 70 members of the Trenton community in an effort to encourage people to join the police department.
They followed the talk with one-on-one discussions between police and city residents. For Trenton Police Director Ernest Parrey, Jr., the event was a way to highlight one of the core missions of the police force.
"It's about being a part of your community," Parrey said, adding that police wanted to impress that on the community members who came by Saturday.
It seems their words hit home for some.
Dominic Davis, a longtime resident of the community, clutched a pamphlet of information about the process as he discussed his nearly two-decade-long desire to be an officer.
"This is my city. I feel like I should give back," Davis said, adding that he's been hoping for a change at joining the force for 17 years.
Trenton recruiting police to 'be part of difference'
Davis, who graduated high school in Trenton, said he's seen good friends die because of violence in the capital city. That alone has fueled his desire to become an officer.
"It's so I can better my community," he said.
Like Davis, Erika Morton has long harbored a desire to join the Trenton Police Department.
"I feel like I can change the community and be a role model to generations after," Morton said Saturday.
Applicants must be city residents who are also U.S. citizens; they must be 18-35 years old and have a high school diploma or GED. Parrey said many people who attended Saturday were concerned that their history or a past offense may deter them from joining the force, but he urged them not to worry.
"We're going to look at everybody," he said.
Anna Merriman may be reached at amerriman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @anna_merriman