The Ruins of Trenton

Trenton City Council is set to meet Thursday - in the first meeting of the city governing body since July's five-hour affair - and there have been unsubstantiated reports of the administration and police leadership caving in and agreeing to raise the number of officers in the Trenton Police Department.

Police Director Joseph Santiago is scheduled to make an appearance Thursday, and some sources speaking on the condition of anonymity say he may well tell those gathered at 319 East State Street that the force plans on receiving an additional 50 officers from the fall class, in addition to the 24 already scheduled to join the ranks at the end of the summer.

Residents showed up at the last council meeting demanding the hiring of more officers, describing horror stories of tired officers and waiting lines for police service in one of New Jersey's most dangerous cities.

This recent citizen's movement - made up of old and new residents all concerned about the city - has surely shown its influence, demonstrated by the current marginalization campaign being used by council and administration officials to paint the group as newcomers who don't know anything about the city.

Should the administration bend to pressure and hire more officers, it is proof that enough raised voices can elicit a response from politically-deaf Trenton City officials.

And if they don't hire more officers, then the residents will keep on pushing the issue until they do.