Hammered by budget cuts, the NYPD will field its smallest force by the middle of next year than at any time since 1992 — raising fears that, with fewer cops on the beat, a resurgence of crime could return to the city.

The city’s Independent Budget Office projected yesterday that by June 30, 2012, the Police Department will have shrunk to 34,413 uniformed personnel, a record low since the 34,825 that were on the force on that same date 20 years ago when crime rates in the city were near epic highs.

NYPD spokesman Paul Browne said its own projection is actually lower — 34,060.

“Crime statistics show there is a breaking point, and we’re at it,” declared City Councilman Peter Vallone Jr., chairman of the council’s Public Safety Committee.

“We can’t absorb any more public safety cuts.”

The Queens Democrat described the latest figures as worrisome. Vallone said that when he goes to community meetings these days, people complain that they no longer see police on the beat or on bicycles.

NYPD manpower typically increases every July 1, the start of the fiscal year, when new recruits come on the job.

But this week, Police Commissioner Ray Kelly raised doubts whether he’d be able to maintain the schedule this year because of a new round of citywide budget cuts that will require the NYPD to come up with an extra $101.4 million in savings from its $4.5 billion budget.

The force is supposed to reach 35,367 on July 1, 2012.

But that depends on Kelly being able to hire 540 recruits next month, 900 in July and 630 in January.

Adding to the uncertainty are plans to cut 350 civilian positions to save $30 million in 2012. The IBO said that would likely impact patrol strength.

Spokesman Browne pointed out that the NYPD has managed to drive down crime and keep murders under 600 since 2002 despite operating with nearly 6,000 fewer officers than at the peak of 40,800 in 2001.

One analyst said the NYPD’s impressive success actually works against it at budget time, since “it’s not really clear what the decrease in size means in terms of public safety.”

(Source: NY Post)