Command vehicle, Tasers on NRP’s $4.1M wish list
Budget request nearly $4 million less than anticipated
A new mobile command centre, training facilities, new police cruisers and Tasers are among more than $4.1 million in requests from Niagara Regional Police for next year.
But concerns about approving the 2020 capital budget without adequate consultation and debate prompted Niagara Regional Police services board members to refer the requests to a finance committee meeting for consideration.
“I have questions on a number of items here,” Niagara Falls Coun. Bob Gale said at Thursday’s board meeting. “We’re being asked to ratify this right now. This proves it should be deferred to a committee or the next board meeting, because it’s not fair to bring it to us for full ratification at full committee.”
Although police have been asked to provide next year’s capital budget requests by Aug. 2, Gale said Niagara Region can wait.
Board chair Ken Gansel suggested referring the report to the board’s Sept. 12 finance committee meeting so board members can have a more in-depth discussion on the budget.
Prior to that, police Chief Bryan MacCulloch discussed need for several of 14 items included in the proposed $4,154,500 budget.
In addition to spending $1.5 million for vehicle replacement, $700,000 for IT and network infrastructure upgrades, and about $700,000 for implementation of next-generation 911 services, the budget includes about $450,000 to purchase a mobile command post to replace an outdated trailer police have been using since 2006.
MacCulloch said the new command post would be a self-propelled model, rather than a trailer. He said the command post is required to meet standards for responding to major incidents and emergencies, and is expected to last for about 15 years.
“Our police service must have a mobile command centre that is self-sufficient, capable of prolonged housing of a minimum of six persons, with radio and video monitoring capabilities, data lines and dedicated phone lines as well as a separate and secure area for negotiation teams,” he said.
MacCulloch said police had hoped to purchase the command post this year.
The budget request also includes about $200,000 to replace 97 conductive energy weapons (commonly called Tasers), $81,800 for new training equipment that uses simulation software to provide a more realistic learning experience, about $50,000 to replace wooden training structures with re-purposed shipping containers, and $49,700 to upgrade software used in investigations such as human trafficking and organized crime.
Gale said another budget item — $157,000 to expand use of electronic key cabinets to track police vehicle use — is an example of the type of expenditure that could lead to concerns from taxpayers.
MacCulloch said the capital budget request for 2020 is nearly $4 million less than the $7.9 million police anticipated they’d need when they submitted their forecast a year ago, after several planned projects were deferred.
Board member David Eke is concerned about the deferred items — about $3 million would purchase cameras to be worn by on-duty police officers and about $1 million would buy new radio equipment.
Board members were given a look at capital spending plans to 2029 — expenditures totalling $104 million over those years including those items. The capital forecast calls for $10.6 million in expenditures in 2021 and $7.4 million in 2022.
MacCulloch said the purchase of the cameras would be reassessed in years to come.
“I would say in Canada we typically enjoy a much higher level of public trust and public confidence in policing than our counterparts do in the U.S. for a variety of reasons,” he said.
MacCulloch said the capital budget forecast focuses on a long-term asset management strategy not only to replace existing assets but to align capital needs “with our future vision of the service.”