Redirect Ottawa police budget boost to community, board told

Several delegations urged Ottawa's police board to reject the force's request for millions of dollars in new funding for 2022, demanding it be invested instead in mental health programs, affordable housing and other community initiatives.

More than a dozen people shared their thoughtsTuesday with the Ottawa Police Services Board's finance and audit committee onthe draft budget tabled earlier this month by the Ottawa Police Service (OPS).

The OPS budget hascalled for an infusion of $14 million, which would bring their totaloperating budget for 2022 to $346.5 million, plus an additional $23 million for capital costs.

That request would necessitate a tax increase of2.86 per cent.

At the time, police Chief Peter Sloly acknowledged the community wants changes in policing and while he supported making changes, he said freezing the budget wouldn't allow the force to carry them out.

Nor would a budget freezepermitOttawa police to meet theirobligations under the Police Services Act, he added.

• Freezing budget could lead to nearly 140 layoffs, police force says

Nevertheless, many people who spokeTuesdayurged for a freeze to be implemented, something board chair Coun. Diane Deans had vowed to work toward for 2022, but later acknowledged it might take longer to accomplish.

"OPS gets new equipment, new patrol cars, new firearms. And what [do they do] with that equipment? They go back in our communities and they start causing problems," said speaker Mohamed Miguil.

"Any money you can give back to the community will help so many people. It seems counterintuitive [but] don't give up, don't get scared," added Bailey Gauthier, another delegate. "And you'll save lives."

Rethink mental health calls

Several speakers felt there was adisconnect between the size of the police force's requestand other investments set out inthe overall draft city budget, including $15 million for affordable housing and $1.3 million for new ambulances and paramedics.

Sam Hersh of Horizon Ottawa, a municipal advocacy group, said the force's proposed nine-digit budget stood in stark contrast to the fact 95 social service agenciesare slated to split afraction of that in 2022.

"In what reasonable society would many of these organizations [be] scraping over a meagre, paltry $27 millionwhile the Ottawa police one organization, mind you gets close to $400 million?" Hersh asked.

The myriad of concerns expressed Tuesday which also touched on traffic enforcement,conducted energy weapon purchasesand whether OPS officers should have any involvement in mental health callssuggested there was a"crescendo in the conversations happening in our city," said Coun. Shawn Menard.

• Public trust declined but residents wantbudget increased, say surveys paid for by Ottawa police

• Ottawa police see most diverse recruiting class amid possible budget freeze

Menardargued for freezing the budget while also looking at something likean$11-million policing alternative project in Toronto, one that involves community-based nurses, harm-reduction workers and others trained in de-escalation assisting withmental health crisis calls.

"We know that mental health response teams actually save resources and can improve outcomes. Cities across Canada are moving in this direction," he said.

'We know we need to change'

On multiple occasions throughout Tuesday's nearly six-hourmeeting, Sloly reiterated something he's said before: that OPS was prepared to divest themselves of some of their responsibilities around mental health calls.

• Police force turns to public for help forging mental health strategy

The force has said a budget freeze could lead to nearly 140 layoffs, with Sloly telling the board's committeethey'reshort officers in a number ofunits likeguns and gangs, traffic and cybercrime.

"We've made asubmission that allows us to maintain what we believe is the adequate and barely effective level of police service delivery in the city.- Chief Peter Sloly on the force's draft 2022 budget

"We've made a submission that allows us to maintain what we believe is the adequate and barely effective level of police service delivery in the city," Sloly said near the end of the meeting.

When asked what's kept him up at night during the budget process, Sloly citedboth the stress on his officers and need to forge a "shared vision" with residents as to what a "different and better police service looks like."

"We know we need to be better. We know we need to change," he said."But the strain is palpable. It's been that way from the first day that I took office. It's only gotten worse, and I need the board's help to turn that around."

After the budget was first presented, Deans saidthe 2.86 increase pitched by Ottawa police was their "starting number," while making it clear the board wouldn't simply hand over an additional$14 million without going through it line-by-line.

The entire police board will consider the budget on Nov. 22.