Debate over the 2011 Police budget

By Miriam King Bradford Times March 3 2011

The Bradford West Gwillimbury-Innisfil Police Services Board held a Public Meeting at the Churchill Community Centre, Feb. 24, seeking input on the proposed 2011 South Simcoe Police budget, which includes a 6.75% increase over 2010.

“We need this input to ensure that the services offered by the Police are in line with your needs,” PSB chair Patti Vanderdonk said. “All of the suggestions received tonight will be considered in future deliberations.”

The majority of those in attendance were members of Innisfil and BWG Town Councils, and South Simcoe Police. Only a handful of residents turned out to hear Vanderdonk explain that 87% of the $15.521 million 2011 Police budget will go to salaries and benefits, 5% to fleet and equipment, 6% to facility operation/ maintenance, and 2% to “other.”

She noted that 4.51% of the 6.75% increase reflects collective bargaining commitments – not only a negotiated salary increase for 2011, but also the stepped increases that are part of the structure of the police service as officers move from 4th Class Constable to 1st Class; and one new hire ($69,204 in salary/benefits).

According to the Board’s own Human Resources report, “we should be hiring 3 officers and 1 administrative staff member each year… (but) it’s not realistic,” said Vanderdonk, noting that the new hire was to address growth in 2011.

The South Simcoe Police Service currently employs 80 uniformed officers, 43 Civilian staff, and 22 Auxiliaries, and has a policing ratio of 1 officer per 768 residents – the ratio set by the Ontario Civilian Commission on Police Services when the BWG and Innisfil Police Services were amalgamated in 1996.

BWG Councillor Gary Lamb, Chair of the Bradford Police Services Board in 1989-1990, said, “You’re fighting what we fought with then. We’re stuck with salaries, we’re stuck with ratio.” Lamb asked for a comparison with policing ratios in other municipalities – and asked whether the Service could look at 1 officer to 800 residents, “to provide some relief” in the budget.

“We have not been successful in getting around that (OCCOPS requirement),” Vanderdonk replied.

One Innisfil resident questioned why Police got a 3.4% increase in their salaries, “because I don’t get that where I work. How come we, the taxpayer, don’t have any say in that?”

He was told that the negotiating procedure is set by the Police Services Act. Vanderdonk described a process where salary increases are based on comparison with other police services: when one Service gets an increase, so do the others. If a PSB refuses and it goes to arbitration, she said, there are “significant legal costs to fight our side of that.”

“I hear a lot of political rhetoric coming from the Board,” said Alcona resident Bob Younger. The retiree noted that he was getting a 1% “adjustment” in his pension income, and that the Consumer Price Index increased only 2%. “How can you justify (the increase)? If this Board had the courage and the guts to do what Mike Harris did – simply say, No, you’re not getting it…. The residents in the community are pretty concerned. They don’t want the standard to drop (but) police wages are resented.”

Younger noted that the Provincial Liberals froze public sector wages.”Why should there be any difference between what’s happening in Innisfil, and what’s happening in the public service?”

Innisfil Mayor Barb Baguley pointed out that the Province didn’t freeze police wages – and in fact, awarded a 5% increase to the OPP.

There were questions regarding the escalating cost of a communications system, and the cost of leasing vehicles and equipment, which total over $750,000 per year. Asked why police don’t purchase their vehicles instead, Chief Davis replied that the Board has carried out an analysis of the costs and benefits “several times over the past 6 or 7 years… The best position for us over the past few years has been to lease,” especially since the PSB gets a preferred rate, and there is no capital allocation from the municipalities to make purchases.

Innisfil Councillor, Lynn Dollin, who has given notice that she will be asking staff to look into alternatives to the South Simcoe Police Service, said, “Our neighbours to the west (New Tecumseth) get policing approximately $2 million cheaper than we are. They are deliriously happy with their service.” She suggested that the South Simcoe Police Service is administration-heavy; Nottawasaga OPP have one Detachment Commander, while South Simcoe has a Chief, Deputy Chief, Inspectors and other administrative staff, including a Finance Dept. “It’s empire building, but it’s empire building with our tax dollars.”

“I take exception to “empire building”,” said Chief Davis. “It’s not empire building. It’s just the people we need to do the job we were tasked with.” He noted that when the partner municipalities, Innisfil and BWG, decided that the municipal treasurers would no longer provide financial services for the Police, that responsibility was downloaded to the Service. “That can’t be done by just one person.”

BWG Mayor Doug White, who represents his municipality on the Board, concluded, “Essentially what this comes down to, is can this budget be lower? Yeah, by not hiring that officer – but it comes down to service levels.”

Vanderdonk said that the Board would look for efficiencies in the budget. “It is still in progress.”