As the Columbus mayor and city council continue to adjust its budget plan for 2023, one of the more eye-catching aspects of the plan as it currently exists is to cut the budget for the Columbus Police Department.

At first blush, it’s an alarming suggestion. For the past couple of years, crime has risen throughout the nation. Columbus hasn’t been immune to that trend. Much attention has been devoted to the increase in crime, especially violent crime, in the city. A crime task force suggested, among other things, adding more police officers.

So the current version of the budget, which would eliminate 15 officer positions at a savings of $417,000, seems counter-intuitive.

But is it, really?

The current budget covers salaries and benefits for 99 CPD employees, which include 70 sworn police officers. What we see here is a disconnect between theory or reality.

As of today, the CPD has 35 officers, half the number the budget allows.

The proposed changes, we believe, are a clear-eyed view of reality. The $417,000 in savings is coming from positions that have remained unfilled for years, and those savings will help fund much-needed pay raises throughout the city, including existing CPD personnel. The city believes this will help attract new officers and retain current officers through a more competitive pay rate.

What should be alarming is not the number of officers budgeted, but the number of officers on the streets. At 35 officers, that’s seven officers per day. And since policing is a 24/7 necessity, it calls into question how many officers are on the street at any given time.

It seems to us imperative to increase the number of officers. Unfilled and unfillable officer jobs do nothing to protect and serve the city.

By establishing a realistic goal of 55 officers, all working at a competitive pay rate the “on-paper” cuts provide, the city should be able to grow its CPD staffing. Even with a budget that allows for 55 officers, it’s unlikely the city will be able to hire 20 more officers in the coming fiscal year.

So it may be more healthy to view the proposed “cut” in the police force as a reallocation of funds from the salaries of unfilled officer positions to raises for existing officers and new officers to be hired.

The shift in the budget should allow the city to reverse the current trend and put more officers on the street.

That should be the goal and we believe this is a common-sense approach to the issue.

The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.