1883: Trenton Police in Sad Shape

Once again we journey back to the 1970's for a manually transcribed article I copied from the Daily State Gazette. The police department was understaffed and there was a need for additional police officers

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 29, 1883
DAILY STATE GAZETTE

The city is certainly in need of more policemen than it now employs. In some parts of Trenton, there is only one officer to cover nearly two wards. A gentleman reported at the Police Station yesterday that there was a disturbance in the Seventh Ward. He wanted to cause the arrest of an offender, but could find no officer, although he had searched the whole ward. He was told that therewas no officer for that ward just at present, as the regular Seventh Ward was on reserve duty in the station.
“Well, what shall I do?” the gentleman inquired.
“Go down to the Fifth Ward; you will find an officer there,” was the reply.
Later, another man reported at the station that there were vagrants gathered near his house on West State Street. He wished to disperse them. The officer on reserve informed this complainant that he could not leave the station; that there were no officers to spare just then, that he (the complainant) must find the man on duty in the Second Ward.