The San Francisco Police Department's $470 million 2011-12 budget will pay for a lot fewer officers next year.
Because of the city's budget woes, no police academy classes are scheduled for next year, so instead of the 1,861 sworn officers who worked for the department in July, retirements and resignations are expected to drop that to 1,745 by June 2012.
Losing officers means the department will have to make changes, Interim Chief Jeff Godown told the Police Commission Wednesday night.
"I can't say that the crime rate will rise because we lose officers ... but all creative ideas will be on the table," he said.
That could include closing and consolidating some of the 10 district stations, realigning district boundaries and putting more administrative officers in the field, Godown added.
The department could even eliminate its popular community policing foot beats.
Former Mayor Gavin Newsom already had asked the police and other city departments to find 10 percent in cuts and prepare another 10 percent in contingency cuts.
Although the department made the first 10 percent trim without cutting staff, things will change if the contingency cuts are required.
Because 90 percent of the department's budget is salary and benefits, more cuts mean layoffs. Beyond the projected retirements and resignations, as many as 185 officers could face the ax, said Deborah Landis, the department's acting financial officer.
Any final budget decisions are months away. The department will present its preliminary financial plan to Mayor Ed Lee next week and the mayor will present his proposed budget by June 1.
