April's police academy class has been postponed until July to save money, the city said.
The class of 540 cadets will be put off until the next fiscal year that begins July 1. The move saves the cost of running the academy this month and shifts pension costs to the next year, according to City Hall.
The Patrolmen's Benevolent Association said the postponement is a "bad decision that will compound the existing staffing problem, compromise public safety and put our police officers at greater risk."
And Councilman Peter Vallone said the "thin blue line may be pushed past its limit."
Stu Loeser, chief spokesman for Mayor Bloomberg, said the last three years have been the safest in city history.
Crime is down overall this year when compared with the same period last year; the only categories where it is up are rapes and felony assaults.
