Citing a drop in major crimes for the ninth straight year, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa pressured the City Council Thursday to back his plan to continue hiring LAPD officers.

"Make no mistake about it, there is a direct correlation between the drop in crime and the number of cops we have on the street," Villaraigosa said at a news conference with police Chief Charlie Beck and other officials.

A report issued this week by Los Angeles' top budget analyst said the city needs to save an additional $53 million this year because of delays in a proposed lease-sale of municipal parking garages, adding new pressure to cut more services and hiring.

To balance the budget, City Administrative Officer Miguel Santana said the city might need to consider reducing the number of police officers from the 9,963 level now authorized. Other cuts could include adding 10 days of furlough to the 26 days that civilian workers are already taking and closing some agencies one day a week.

Santana's report is scheduled to go to the City Council's Budget and Finance Committee next week for discussion.

While Villaraigosa remains committed to keeping the current size of the Los Angeles Police Department, he needs to shore up council support.

"I know the city is as safe as it is because of the number of police officers we have on the street," Villaraigosa said. "I am committed to staying at that level."

Villaraigosa said the city would not see the economic development it is experiencing - with L.A. Live, Hollywood and billionaire Eli Broad's new $234 million art museum - without the gains against crime.

"It is not just one area of crime," Villaraigosa said. "It is all levels - rapes, aggravated assaults, shootings, thefts and gang crimes. The city is safer than any time since 1954."

Earlier this week, Villaraigosa and Beck announced the number of homicides fell last year to 297, the lowest since 1967.

"It is stunning, when you look at the economic problems this city has had and the fact we are now 4 million people," Beck said.

The two were joined by City Attorney Carmen Trutanich, Controller Wendy Greuel and Councilmen Greig Smith, Bill Rosendahl, Paul Krekorian and Jose Huizar, who all pledged to support keeping the LAPD at its current size.

Over the last five years since the expansion of the department began, Part 1 crimes have dropped from 142,962 citywide to 109,250 this past year, Beck said.

Drops were seen in each of the LAPD's four bureaus, with the Valley Bureau seeing a 7.1 percent drop last year and a 16.3 percent decline over the last five years.

The Central Bureau had a 30.3 percent drop in crime over the past five years, with a 6.3 percent decline last year; the South Bureau saw a 16 percent drop in five years and a 3.9 percent drop this year and the West Bureau experienced a 30.3 percent drop over five years and 10.13 percent this year.

Citywide, gang-related crimes are down 11.3 percent this year, Beck said.