Police budget cuts would threaten 120 jobs

The Calgary Police Commission will continue to lobby city council to protect the police budget from cuts that would force 120 positions to be axed.

In an emergency closed-door meeting Wednesday, the commission agreed to push for the 2011 police budget to be endorsed at council's next meeting on July 19 without the five per cent cuts proposed by city hall.

All city departments are being asked to find savings of $60 million to make up a revenue shortfall in this fall's budget. This would mean slashing the police budget by $14.8 million.

"That would take all of next year's growth ,which is 65 positions, plus cut into our existing authorized strength by another 55 positions," Chief Rick Hanson said after the meeting Wednesday.

A motion by Mayor Dave Bronconnier to pre-approve the police budget effectively protecting it from cuts was defeated by one vote in council earlier this week.

Hanson said he's cancelled two fall recruit classesbecause graduates can't be guaranteed jobs. The downtown beat officer program is also in peril.

"One of my big concerns is that our plan was built to address the needs of a city that is continuing to grow that has major challenges," Hanson said. "We've had some great successes with the initiatives we've implemented. Now the concern is will we have to back off on that."

The three-year, $800-million police budget represents the single largest chunk of the city's spending.