Saskatoon Police Request $760,000 Budget Increase

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Debate over the Saskatoon Police Service’s request for about $114 million to the city of Saskatoon took less than an hour into the first afternoon of the city’s budget debate at City Hall on Monday. (ARO) Permanent Program.

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While the City Council won’t make a decision on approving the police’s revised 2023 budget until after three days of budget negotiations, most of the members’ questions focused on the future of ARO.

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In total, police demands on the city increased by $760,000 not only because of ARO’s plans, but because of the expected inflation of fuel and natural gas costs.

The ARO program began last year as a pilot project with a staff of six unarmed Special Constables patrolling primarily around downtown and Riversdale.

Saskatoon Police Chief Troy Cooper feels very confident in the program since it was piloted and reviewed.

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“In an era of police reform, this is the answer. It’s an opportunity to have a responsive, community-based program,” he told StarPhoenix.

The six-member program, after approval by the Saskatoon Police Commission, is envisioned as a low-cost method of unifying responses to low-risk calls and freeing up officers to high-risk calls. . Earlier this year.

AROs also perform other tasks, such as recovering physical and video evidence, securing low-risk crime scenes, and transferring non-violent arrestees from police custody to court.

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Riversdale Business Improvement District Executive Director Randy Pshebylo told the council that BID is looking forward to continuing the ARO program and extending constable hours. ARO is currently only available on weekdays from 8am to 6pm.

An additional $350,000 was added to the police budget for the following year to make the program a permanent part of the police force.

The council heard that the police previously did not have enough money for the six positions, but used funds saved from vacant positions.

The police’s original 2023 budget plan received preliminary approval during budget discussions for 2021, when the 2022 operating and capital budgets were approved.

Households are tightening their budgets because of inflation. Darren Hill noted that the additional he asked whether the $760,000 would not be approved and whether the police could save internally.

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Cooper said he “certainly couldn’t find” $760,000 in-house. He explained that they looked at budgets and found potential savings in the light of the economy, for example by cutting information technology licensing costs.

Earl. Mairin Loewen asked about measuring the savings police expect from making the ARO program permanent.

“Unless we actually reduce the number of sworn police officers added to the budget, there will be no savings,” she said.

Cooper said he could show a reduction in salary, but added that getting an ARO would also reduce training and other costs.

Saskatoon Police Commission Chairman Joe Custed warns that contracts with the Saskatoon Police Association, which represents police officers, and CUPE Local 59, which represents certain civilian staff, are expiring and new contracts will be negotiated. Did. This could affect future salaries. cost.

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The budget includes the addition of four patrol officers, one forensic forensics officer, and one street crime analysis special officer. It also includes new civilian positions, including an additional Junior Access and Privacy Officer and an additional Audio/Visual Disclosure position.

tjames@postmedia.com

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