So what do the authorized levels really mean?

As of last week the department was nearly 300 officers short of its authorized level of 2,872.

At this time, manpower shortages were keeping staffing at about 70 to 80 percent of authorized levels and the reorganization elimitatd about 50 personnel slots.

The department has about 8,900 officers, well below its authorized level of close to 10,200.

He proposed a new "Education Trust Fund" to require the federal government to fund programs up to their authorized levels.

But actual spending under the old plan did not reach the authorized levels, and it is unclear whether Congress will fully fund this plan if it is adopted.

Deployments scheduled for this month and September should expand the force to its authorized level, 28,000.

The second was to finance the federal government's core open space program, the Land and Water Conservation Fund, at its annual authorized level of $900 million.

Islip, with 301, is nearly at its authorized level of 308, but 167, or slightly more than half, are fully trained.

Westbury, with 143 controllers, is under its authorized level of 204, and 46 are not fully trained.