New York mayor drops plans to remove 892 cops after Times Square plot

New York, May 6 (ANI): New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has dropped plans to remove nearly 900 cops days after the failed Times Square car bombing.

Bloomberg's executive budget for 2011, which he is announcing tomorrow, "won't include a reduction in the number of police officers out on our streets keeping New York City safe," the New York Post quoted his spokesman Stu Loeser, as saying.

The change-of-heart comes less than a week after NYPD cops discovered terrorist Faisal Shahzad's smoldering, explosives-laden Nissan Pathfinder in Times Square on Saturday.

It was city detectives who helped the FBI wrap up the case and arrest Shahzad within 54 hours. he reprieve came as several developments emerged in the terror investigation.

Bloomberg was preparing to cut 892 NYPD jobs through attrition to save 55 million dollars in related costs.

Officials yesterday said higher-than-anticipated tax revenues were allowing Bloomberg to reverse that decision and keep the police force intact at about 35,000.

As of March, revenues were running about 225 million dollars ahead of expectations. The grim early budget was released in January.

The initial plan was to have the cops retire and not be replaced. With the increased funding, the plan is for the NYPD to have a new class at the Police Academy and hire close to 1,000 rookies.

The police have welcomed Bloomberg's decision. (ANI)