WRPS Chief shares rationale for 2024 budget increase
Posted Oct 18, 2023 03:03:34 PM.
Last Updated Oct 18, 2023 03:59:58 PM.
A growing population, rising crime, and the need for more staff members are all factors in Waterloo Regional Police Service’s (WRPS) 2024 draft budget.
The proposed budget is just over $230 million which is an increase of 7.59 per cent compared to 2023 or an increase of just over $16 million.
Part of the draft budget includes the request for the addition of 18 officers to the service in 2024 and 2025. That would complete a three-year process in which 55 officers were hired.
“Our service does have a recognized deficit on a comparative basis for the officer-to-population ratio,” said Police Chief Mark Crowell at October’s WRPS board meeting. “With the board’s support and guidance, we are hopefully on a track to find a sustainable, and responsible way to staff the needs of our community.”
The increase in crime in the community is also contributing to stress on service according to Crowell.
“There continues to be a significant level of victimization and violent crime to manage in this region, and we want to do the best we can to serve the community that needs and deserves incredible service from us,” said Crowell.
The police budget process includes two community consultation sessions that will take place on Oct. 26 and Nov. 6.
That will be followed by the police board approving the budget in mid-November before it is sent to regional council which will decide on the regional budget in December.
In 2022, half of regional council voted against passing the police budget in part due to concerns regarding the hiring of new officers.
Crowell said that he is confident the service will be able to hire the 18 officers as requested.
“We think it is attainable, we’re in a period of projected reasonable to low attrition,” he said. “We are still in a very competitive landscape, and we’ve made every effort to ensure that we are as lean and process-driven for the recruitment efforts as possible.”
As part of the presentation, Crowell noted that investments are needed in frontline patrol, investigative services, training, and youth engagement as part of the upcoming budget.
Other factors that led to the proposed budget increase include inflation, contractual and benefit cost increases as well as investments in frontline technology.
