Police looking for near 5% increase to budget

The Timmins Police want to increase their spending, but made it clear they aren’t adding anything new to 2015.

Breaking down the numbers, the police had a $13,413,207 budget last year, and went over by $672,772, or just over 5% ($14,085,979).

In 2015, they want a $14,072,534 budget.

Police Chief John Gauthier says the increases are necessary to have to continue serving the public.

One of those is legal fees, going up to $200,000 which is double the $100,000 in 2014.  Legal fees in 2013 were budgeted at $35,000.

“We know that we have some matters that are going to be coming up in 2015,” he said, “Matters that will require us to go to hearing with some of our staff.”

There was more talk about how suspended officers get paid while their case is processed.  Gauthier says it’s not up to the police or the city to make that call, it is provincially legislated.

“There’s no other provisions in the Police Services Act that would allow for that,” he added, mentioning the only exception is when an officer is found guilty of a criminal offence and sentenced to a term in jail.

He says only when the officer starts serving the jail time that the suspension be without pay.

Other examples provided by TPS for legal costs were lawsuit settlements, grievances or arbitrations, Ontario Civilian Police Commission, Sault Ste. Marie Police Service investigative assistance and Human Rights Tribunal investigations.

The other increases in the budget are dispatch ($90,000), building power ($13,000) and a $12,000 janitorial contract.

Another significant amount that wasn’t immediately available were salary increases.  Salaries went up 3.3% in 2014.

With those increases cost cutting measures were looked at heavily.

Police Services Board Chair and Mayor Steve Black says they’d be slashing one full-time records staff member ($65,637), and the costs to uniforms (12.5%), training (16.7%), equipment capital (64.5%), administration travel (23%), telecommunications (20%), administration training (28.6%) and Police Services Board travel (20%).

As part of the equipment capital, that means no new fleet vehicles, the sale of one police motorcycle and deferral of CEW expansion.

More details on the police budget are expected to come out during their board meeting Thursday afternoon.

Read all about the police budget presentation to council HERE.