Union says budget cuts hurting Calgary Police Service
Violent crime continues to rise, union boss says
CALGARY — After a long weekend that saw two shootings and an injured bystander, Calgary police’s union boss says municipal budget cuts are only going to make the situation worse.
As the budget shrinks, Calgary Police Services’ appeal to well-trained officers drops, which could be detrimental in a city with rising levels of violent crime, according to Sgt. Les Kaminski, head of the Calgary Police Association.
“The amount of people who want to be police officers is quickly shrinking,” said Kaminski.
“This situation is going to grow exponentially because we’re not going to be able to fill positions with viable candidates.”
Kaminski said the budget cuts are causing a problem for police that won’t be easily undone at a time when violent crime and, in turn, the risk of being an officer are increasing.
“Why would you come to Calgary when the call load is increasing?” he added.
“Violent crime has risen. Violent crimes are escalating, gun crimes are escalating, violent crimes against police officers are escalating and our officers are at their limits.”
On Saturday afternoon, a bystander was injured and another person was dropped off at a hospital with a gunshot wound after a shootout between people in two vehicles in a Mr. Sub parking lot at 4662 Macleod Trail S.W.
Rounds from the shootout were spread across a distance, with one of the bullets entering the sandwich shop, causing one person inside to be hit in the eye by shrapnel.
Early Sunday morning, police responded to another shooting after reports of gunshots near the intersection of 8th Street and 5th Avenue S.W.
Officers found shell casings in the area but all suspects had fled the scene before police arrived. As of Sunday, no one had reported injuries but police were investigating through witness statements and CCTV footage.
After the second shooting, Mike Baker, vice-president of the Calgary Police Association, posted his concerns on Twitter.
“This is getting ridiculous! With escalating violence, crime rates surging and CPS resources taxed to the limits, is this really the time for (city council) to be cutting Calgary police budget? It’s times like this we need more cops, not less! #Backtheblue,” Baker wrote.
“People need to realize we are in a crisis here . . . Our frontline is tapped out. Public safety needs to be a priority.”
The cuts, established in July, hit many municipal services.
Some of the largest cuts, by dollar value, were to fire and emergency response at $7.6 million, and police at $7 million.
To cover some of the cuts, the Calgary police cut the auxiliary cadet program that allowed young people to experience working with CPS, but Kaminski said the cuts are having a “huge effect” on the ability of police to respond to calls.
“The city is going to save a few dollars up front and the citizens are going to suffer terribly on the backside. I’m really worried about it,” he said.
In addition to the two shootings on the weekend, police responded to an armed home invasion in Monterey Park on Thursday, where shots were exchanged as three suspects fled the scene. No one was injured and police arrested two of the suspects.
Only days before, on Oct. 8, Matthew Maniago was shot and killed on a street in the southeast community of Mckenzie Lake.
Between January and the end of September, there have been 65 reported shootings in Calgary, according to police.
With files from Alanna Smith, Zach Laing and Brodie Thomas