Reginald Atkins is no hero

Just about five years ago, on May 24, 2016, Reginald Atkins was a Roselle Councilman who got a spot on the TV news broadcast and in the Star Ledger after he tackled a man who had been lurking in his backyard.

Atkins ran out of his house and into the driveway, where he confronted the man who admitted to stealing a bike because he was homeless and needed to be going to Plainfield. When the pathetic 62-year-old man, later identified as Patrick Hodge, tried to run away, the 46-year-old Atkins gave chase and tackled the senior citizen, holding him until police arrived.

When Atkins tells the story, he sounds rather heroic: "I know he could have had a gun, he could have had a knife." I cannot help thinking that maybe there is another angle to this tale.

As someone who presents himself as a Christian minister, Atkins might have considered another course of action based on his expectation of how Jesus would have handled the situation. Once the police got hold of the man, Patrick Hodge was charged with second-degree burglary and theft and was held on $50,000 bail.

Had he done nothing, Atkins would have lost a bike worth $100 and maybe never recovered it. If he offered to drive the man to Plainfield, he might have counseled him and tried to save a soul. Had he let his brother go when he was frightened and ran off, Atkins would have missed the chance to go on TV and tell us about his heroism but Patrick Hodge would have avoided the joyless experience of being another destitute Black man in the clutches of America's criminal justice system.

Had Jesus been in a situation like that, I doubt he would have tackled the guy.

But if Atkins could find no better way to deal with 62-year-old Patrick Hodge, who tried to steal a bike worth $100, then what should happen to Reginald Atkins, the thief who admitted to stealing money from the New Jersey unemployment benefits fund while he was still employed as a councilman, a church pastor, commissioner on the Roselle Linden Sewer Authority, CEO of New Destiny Community Development Corporation, and a software specialist for Computer Task Group, in addition to being chairman of the Roselle Democratic Committee?

Atkins felt entitled to that money when he lost a job as a sales representative for an India-based telecommunications company, but every week he claimed benefits, we would have had to lie if he did not disclose the income from the five other jobs that are listed on his public financial disclosure form.

Patrick Hodge reportedly has a long criminal record, but he may have had few options because America's capitalist system can be pretty harsh and justice for all really is not afforded to everyone, particularly homeless, 62-year-old destitute Black men. Atkins had five other jobs that we know about because he listed them on public documents. Atkins had options that did not involve stealing taxpayer's money.

Atkins also had options when he applied for more taxpayer's money, in the form of a Coronavirus-related emergency Paycheck Protection Program loan of $8,041, which he got on May 18, 2020.

Four years after he nabbed homeless, destitute 62-year-old Patrick Hodge, Atkins might have falsely claimed payroll expenses to meet PPP eligibility formula and accepted the $8,041 loan from Celtic Bank Corporation and the U.S. Small Business Administration.

We will not know for some time whether Atkins deserved that money but since he is running for office, it is fair to ask him to prove that he did.

If we do learn that Atkins was stealing, from the New Jersey unemployment benefits fund, from the U.S. Small Business Administration coronavirus-related emergency Paycheck Protection Program, or from both, I would be the first to ask if anyone without sin would like to throw the first stone.

Atkins certainly never asked who should throw the first stone at homeless, destitute 62-year-old Patrick Hodge. He tackled the man himself.