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Trenton council confronts police staffing and entertainment‑district safety as ordinance debated
Summary
At a special Trenton City Council meeting, council members and the public pressed police leadership and the administration over patrol staffing, resource allocation and enforcement in the downtown entertainment district. Council tabled a proposed ordinance changing hours for some businesses and approved a separate administrative calendar change.
Trenton City Council members and residents pressed city officials Wednesday over police staffing levels, patrol deployment and enforcement in the city’s entertainment district, raising questions about how officers are assigned and whether the police department is using public funds efficiently.
The meeting opened with an account of department staffing that drew the sharpest scrutiny: "We have 238 officers, 71 on patrol," a police representative told the council, saying roughly 165 officers were assigned to internal or specialized roles rather than regular patrol shifts. Council members and public speakers said they want more officers visible in entertainment and high‑crime areas.
The concern about patrol deployment came as the council considered an ordinance that would adjust permitted hours of operation for certain nonresidential businesses in the entertainment district. Council President Gonzales moved to table Ordinance 25‑069 on first reading; the motion carried on a roll call vote…
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