But yesterday, Mr. Kelly, in a wide-ranging briefing with reporters, said he thought the department of 40,000 officers could keep crime down without the additional overtime spending for Operation Condor.

It was the ninth consecutive annual increase in overtime spending.

Some overtime spending is a necessary part of the city's response to short-term emergency situations or special events.

While police officials acknowledge that overtime spending peaked last year in actual dollars, they maintain the true cost, when adjusted for collective bargaining increases, had actually been higher in previous years.

The actual overtime spending was $29,000 even though, by best estimates, the number of arrests in the patrol borough's jurisdiction rose by as much as 12.5 percent, he said.

He said Mr. Jacobson had also overseen drops of about 30 percent in overtime spending and in absentee rates for correction officers.

"Adding that amount to overtime spending is beyond belief," he said.

The department has also been forced to cut certain overtime spending.

Consider his approach to overtime spending.

The Mayor will have to ask the Council to approve the overtime spending or force agencies to find other ways to pay for them.