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Calgary Police Service Faces Significant Budget Shortfall

The Calgary Police Service (CPS) is grappling with an alarming budget deficit, estimated at $28 million for 2025 and potentially into the following years. Police Chief Mark Neufeld warns that addressing this issue is crucial to avoid long-term financial ramifications for both the department and the city’s taxpayers.

In a statement released on Thursday, CPS confirmed that the shortfall arises primarily from recent provincial government decisions to reduce the scope of photo radar usage, which has historically contributed to police funding.

Neufeld emphasized the impact of these changes, stating, “It’s not as though there’s a bunch of fat to cut. We’re cutting muscle in anything we do.” The provincial government’s new regulations, introduced in December, strictly limit photo radar implementation to designated school, playground, and construction zones, slashing the number of active sites from approximately 2,000 to just 650 across the province.

The province’s intention behind these changes was to ensure that photo radar serves as a tool for public safety rather than a revenue-generating mechanism. “We want to ensure that photo radar is a tool for protecting people, not a cash cow,” the government declared at the time of the announcement.

As the fiscal situation develops, anxiety is evident within the Calgary Police Service. Neufeld reported that staff had been informed of the shortfall on Thursday, prompting immediate discussions on cost-cutting measures. “We are examining strategies to reduce our operating expenses as we work to absorb this impact and avoid an over-budget scenario by year-end,” he explained.

Budget Allocation Challenges

With approximately 85% of the CPS budget allocated to salaries and related personnel costs, immediate steps have been taken to freeze hiring for civilian roles. Additionally, efforts are underway to curtail overtime expenses projected to reach $13 million in 2024. However, Neufeld hesitates to slow the recruitment of sworn officers, citing the city’s growth and the essential demand for police presence and services.

“There’s a lot of demands out there and we’re going to do our best to continue to meet them, but this is going to be a challenge,” Neufeld noted, highlighting the complexities of balancing budgetary constraints with the need for adequate law enforcement coverage.

Potential Impact on Police Services

Concerns arise regarding how the budget cuts may reshape the quality and reach of police services. Doug King, a professor of criminal justice at Mount Royal University, voiced apprehensions over the long-term implications of reduced funding. “Bottom line, when you reduce police funding, you inevitably reduce police coverage,” he said, questioning whether the city should compromise its standing as a leading police service in North America for what he described as the “notion of a cash cow.”

The Calgary Police Commission, which oversees the CPS, recognizes the importance of traffic safety but acknowledges the financial consequences tied to decreased photo radar usage. Commission chair Amtul Siddiqui remarked, “The revenue impact of the photo radar changes is not nearly as important to us as the traffic safety implications. However, we will still need to work with the service, council, and the province to manage the financial implications of reduced traffic enforcement.”

Transportation Minister Devin Dreeshen responded by stating that police should not depend on fine revenue as a funding source. He suggested that any difficulties stemming from the budget shortfalls would need to be addressed at the municipal level. “If there are base funding issues for the Calgary Police Service or the Edmonton Police Service, I think that’s something you’d have to talk to the municipalities about,” he stated, asserting that ticket revenue should not form the backbone of police funding.

Financial Landscape and Future Outlook

Currently, the Calgary Police Service relies heavily on property taxes, amounting to approximately $489 million annually, while projections anticipate $34 million in fine revenue for 2023 and $47 million for 2024. Neufeld noted that discussions for a budget request for city council’s upcoming budget deliberations in November would commence mid-year, but he stressed the urgency of finding solutions long before that timeline. “That’s way too late. The longer we admire the problem here, the less opportunity we have to deal with it,” he concluded.

Alongside addressing budgetary challenges, Neufeld has reached out to the CPS workforce for suggestions on achieving greater operational efficiency, seeking collaborative input to navigate this financial crisis effectively.

Source
globalnews.ca