Let’s all agree that efficiency in government is a good thing. Thus, we heartily applaud the city Emergency Services Department for its successful pilot project: converting to 12-hour work shifts that yielded a $700,000 drop in overtime costs last fiscal year.

Nearly all of its paramedics and emergency service technicians switched to the alternating three- and four-day workweeks. And though staff shortages and other factors still caused $5.32 million in overtime, that was three-quarters of a million dollars lower than the previous year.

With the test due to end Aug. 1, city negotiations underway with the United Public Workers aim to make the 12-hour shifts the EMS norm. Hear, hear. Then, let’s work to pilot that concept at the OT-rife state prisons.