Councillors support call for $14M boost to police budget
Budget increase would represent more than a one per cent jump in property tax
With a request to hike this year’s police budget by more than $14 million already made public, city councillors are lining up in support — saying that as crime rises, so does the need for more resources.
“Car theft, domestic violence, gun violence, all of that is up. We can’t handcuff the police. Safety is of utmost importance,” said Coun. Ray Jones, adding that constituents he met door-knocking in Ward 10 during this fall’s municipal election made crime and safety a priority.
Coun. Druh Farrell, who represents Ward 7, including parts of downtown, Kensington and the suburban northwest, agreed, adding that as the city’s economy struggles to recover, crime continues to grow.
“We are seeing a bump in a variety of crime — international cybercrime, domestic violence, which especially goes up during a recession, and drug-related crime, like fentanyl,” she said.
Farrell said she supports funding police resources, but also wants that to include preventive programs, particularly around addiction.
Brian Thiessen, chairman of the Calgary police commission, wrote in a Postmedia editorial Saturday that city police need a $14.3-million increase to the 2018 operating budget just to maintain existing levels of service. The hike would amount to more than a one-percent overall increase in property taxes. Council expects to begin budget deliberations at the end of the month.
Thiessen wrote that because of the economic downturn, city police are facing additional pressures now and in the coming years from the opioid crisis, cybercrime, marijuana legislation, increased caseloads and big jumps in child abuse and domestic violence.
“Police work does not stop when the economy is weak. In fact, it’s the opposite,” Thiessen said.
“Every unit within the CPS is stretched right now, and members are eager for support.”
At the same time, the Calgary Police Service has been at the centre of a series of scandals in the past few years involving bullying, sexual harassment and intimidation. As public approval ratings of the force plummeted, justice and criminology experts said there is an institutional problem within the service that’s been embedded for years.
But councillors are adamant the police deserve new resources and taxpayer support.
In fact, Ward 1 Coun. Ward Sutherland says much of the reason that he will vote in favour of an increase to the police budget is because much of the new money will go toward human resources and improving the culture at CPS.
Sutherland says he also supports the hike because it goes toward more body-worn cameras, which he says will not only reduce the court costs of false accusations against police, it will improve officer behaviour.
“I am 100 per cent in favour of this increase because it directs funding towards thing that we need and things that make sense,” he said.
Car theft, domestic violence, gun violence, all of that is up. We can’t handcuff the police. Safety is of utmost importance.