‘It’s not sustainable financially’: WRPS projecting $7 million spent on overtime in 2023

The final approval of the 2024 Region of Waterloo budget is just around the corner, but the debate around the police portion is still unresolved.

The contention from some community groups and councillors surround the Waterloo Regional Police Service’s (WRPS) request for $14.4 million more than the 2023 budget, despite projecting a surplus at the end of the fiscal year.

WRPS Chief Mark Crowell addressed the questions around an $8 million surplus.

“You’re talking numbers that don’t exist,” said Crowell. “It was suggested that there was a mounting surplus of $8 million or greater, and it’s simply a misunderstanding of how every operational budget works. We’re projecting around a $1 million surplus towards the end of this year.”

Chief Crowell explained that the surplus is mostly down to a governement grant WRPS received for “prisoner care and control.”

“I would just absolutely challenge the reckless and irresponsible depiction that there’s some mounting surplus that is anything but fiscally prudent and in accordance with our board and the region’s sound financial management.”

The increase to a total of over $228 million would cost the average household $341 per year in property taxes. However, Crowell told the Mike Farwell Show that other communities pay much more.

“Unless you live in Halton Region or Waterloo Region, you’re paying more for policing,” said Crowell. “I think that’s in important metric to say we’re fiscally prudent and we do everything we can can to be efficient with our resources.”

WRPS has stated that their request for more funding involves inflation, increased benefit costs and contracts, and most notably, the plan to hire 18 more officers. Chief Crowell said an increasing number of service calls is putting stress on the system.

“We’re actually paying for those positions every hour of every day through overtime,” explained Crowell. “I’ve said many times, it’s not sustainable financially, and it’s not sustainable from a wellness standpoint.”

Last year, WRPS budgeted for $3.2 million in overtime costs. This year, they’re projecting a $7 million cost for employee overtime.

“That’s money we would rather spend on full-time, part-time and temporary staff,” said Crowell.

The regional budget will be finalized on Dec. 13.