Studies have shown that an increase in a city's police force does not necessarily reduce crime.

When one major city increased its police force by 19 percent last year, there were 40 percent more arrests and 13 percent more convictions.

If funding for the new police officers' salaries is approved, support for other city services will have to be reduced during the next fiscal year.

In most United States cities, not all arrests result in convictions, and not all convictions result in prison terms.

Middletown's ratio of police officers to citizens has reached a level at which an increase in the number of officers will have a deterrent effect on crime.