Another Reason for 4 - 2

People have been pointing out more than a few reasons the City is going with a "4 on-2 off" schedule. More checking the "time due" box, more burning of comp time, redeployment of one-seventh of the street force.

Here's why the last one matters most:

• After hiring only 46 Chicago Police officers all year, Mayor Daley acknowledged Monday that the slowdown would continue in 2010, dramatically impacting the city's ability to fill 591 police vacancies.

  "We will be filling them, but not at a faster rate," the mayor said after announcing unrelated budget moves.

  Daley was noncommittal when asked whether Chicago could afford to hire any police officers -- beyond the 80 whose salaries will be paid by federal stimulus funds -- and still honor his promise to hold the line on all taxes, fines and fees.

And even those 80 officers aren't anywhere in sight. The grant stated they had to be hired after 01 July, and at that time, the class of 46 was already in training. The money has an expiration date, so it has to be spent soon or it goes back to Washington. We haven't even heard of a power test being offered.

The next step is shutting down a district or two to alleviate next year's shortages.