Halifax Police Commission endorses $73M budget

TheHalifax Police Commission has endorsed a $73-million budget to cover next year's policing costs.

That's a 5.4 per cent increase over last year's budget.

Halifax Regional Council had asked staff to put together a "hold-the-line" type of budget, with little change over last year's spending plan.

Halifax Regional Municipality's Police Chief Jean-Michel Blais said police need more moneyto cover wage and benefit costs.

"There were certain formulas that were negotiated and agreed to by both the region and the [Halifax Regional Police Association] and as a result of it, for this upcoming year, we're looking at a 3.385 per cent increase in wages and benefits alone," said Blais.

Blais said there's also extra money in the budget for witness protection and undercover investigations to help policewithmajor crime cases.

Hesaid he tried to reduce costs by putting civilians intoseven positions currently held by police officers.

"In various areas, one isa criminal analyst. At this point we determined that we don't need to have a sworn police officer costing $103,000 per year doing that position," he said.

Blais had been asking for a 5.5 per cent increase for a total of $74 million, mainly to cover police wages as part of a 12-year contract.

The proposed budget still has to be approved by city council.

Coun. Barry Dalrymple, a member of the police board, said even though the police budget includes a larger increase than council asked for, he believes it will be approved.

"We still have a gun problem, we still have a violence problem and we have an issue downtown, so this is not the time to cut police officers," he said.

Budget debate will take place in April.