Opinion

DON’T CUT COPS

City Hall’s money troubles are set to shrink the size of the NYPD to its lowest level in 15 years, says Police Commissioner Ray Kelly. Even at a time of record-low crime rates, that’s simply unacceptable.

Testifying before the City Council Wednesday, Kelly disclosed that, given the across-the-board 5 percent spending cuts ordered by Mayor Bloomberg, the department will trim funding for 1,000 cops it was preparing to hire.

Meanwhile, the city already is 2,000 officers short of its current hiring goals, thanks to the Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association and its bad-faith bargaining over scandalously low rookie pay.

Another 2,400 cops are scheduled to retire this year.

On top of that, the NYPD – like all other city agencies – has been told to prepare for an additional 3 percent cut in spending if state aid is reduced, which could threaten more department jobs, as well as future hiring classes.

Bottom line: Right now, there are 35,800 cops – the lowest number since the bad old days of 1992, before Rudy Giuliani became mayor and began laboriously to bring down sky-high rates.

Adding to the problem is the ongoing recruitment difficulties the NYPD has had, given the current – and absurdly low – starting salary of $25,100.

Yet, as we’ve long noted, it’s the rank-and-file’s own union, the Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association, that bears the burden of responsibility for this scandal – having sold rookies down the river by forcing an arbitration settlement that slashed their starting pay from $40,000, but gave more goodies to veteran cops.

Since then, the police union’s bosses have exploited the recruitment crisis they created to squeeze City Hall. An arbitrator is scheduled to come up with new pay rates in the coming months.

Fortunately, all this comes at a time when the city’s crime rates – particularly for violent crime – have dipped to levels not seen since the 1960s.

And the mayor’s office insists there will be no significant reductions in cops patrolling the street. Of course, it could hardly assert otherwise – and, who knows, that might actually be true.

But, if so, how long can such staffing last with Mayor Mike’s budgeteers whittling away at the NYPD?

Sure, across-the-board cuts may seem fair and equitable in theory – and they certainly make cuts of any sort easier to implement – but in the real world, priorities must be established.

City Hall must choose what safely can be cut and what cannot.

Containing crime has been perhaps the most critical factor in New York’s remarkable renaissance over the past 15 years.

As Commissioner Kelly rightly told the council, “If we slip, I think . . . that a lot of other things that are moving in a very positive direction in the city could slip, as well.”

To keep that from happening, added Kelly, the city must “maintain a robust police force.”

Wise words – because whatever short-term savings are realized could swiftly turn into a long-term disaster.

Money needs to be found for the NYPD – without increasing the city’s already ruinous taxes.

If that means cutting more deeply elsewhere, so be it.

Again, effective government is about making choices. In this case, the choice isn’t just between NYPD jobs and a balanced budget.

It’s between cops on the beat and safe streets.