WRPS board, union split on number of new officers needed to keep community safe

Regional police are now officially asking for a nearly double digit budget bump.

The Waterloo Regional Police Services Board voted Wednesday to approve a request to the region to up police spending this year to more than $214-million — a more than nine per cent increase from 2022.

There does though seem to be a bit of a difference of opinion between the board and the union representing local officers when it comes to how many more front-line members are needed, now, in order to keep the community safe.

“There are simply not enough uniformed officers to respond to calls for service,” said Mark Egers, President of the Waterloo Regional Police Association in advance of Wednesday's budget talks.

“An increase in staffing is required,” Egers continued, “Put another way, we're in crisis.”

The comments come as a presentation by the region's top cop did note increasing demand almost across the board with stats showing violent crime up significantly through 2022, cybercrime continuing to balloon, and local roads not as safe as the region or its police would like.

The police chief also noted a recent report from KPMG which found police to be short dozens of officers.

“They've identified at least a current gap of 55 font-line officers that they recommend to meet issues of community growth, violent crime trends, workload pressures, case clearing issues, [and] also meeting community expectations and demand,” said WRPS Police Chief Mark Crowell.

Despite that, the board has decided not to ask for the region to approve the addition of 55 front-line officers upfront, but over the next three years, beginning with 19 this year, followed by at least another 18 each in 2024 and 2025.

“We feel that this investment in 2023 will allow us to provide a stable, measured approach to increase and meet the demand of our service levels,” said Crowell.

That would also split the cost of adding 55 new officers across three consecutive budgets, though the board also said those numbers are a baseline and could grow based on need.

Egers though, clear, he and the union do not support a wait-and-see approach.

“Our members can not wait three years to get up to compliment,” he said. “We need a large compliment in this yearly budget to guarantee the safety of the public, and our members.”

The 2023 WRPS budget will be presented as part of the full regional budget to region council on Feb. 1. Final approval would then be scheduled for Feb. 22.