Policing costs are rising for Salmon Arm taxpayers, while the number of police officers is not.
The allocation for Salmon Arm’s 19 city-designated officers will go up by 0.77 per cent in 2019, for a total of $133,243. That breaks down to about a $7,000 increase per officer.
Chelsea Van de Capelle, the city’s new chief financial officer, informed council on June 11 that the increases are largely attributed to wages, training, fuel and divisional administration costs related to health services and special leave.
Unlike other budget items, policing costs are ones which city council can’t control, as they’re forecast by E Division and submitted by RCMP provincial headquarters.
As well as 19 municipal cops, the Salmon Arm detachment is allocated five provincial police for the rural areas. They’re responsible for a large area from Ranchero and Silver Creek to Blind Bay and Sorrento where the Chase detachment’s jurisdiction begins.
Related: 2016 - Policing costs on the rise
The city pays for 90 per cent of the cost of the 19 officers, while the province pays for the other five.
Coun. Chad Eliason said in his roles on provincial boards such as the Union of BC Municipalities, he continues to lobby for more provincial officers.
“While numbers on the municipal side have increased, rural policing has not. It’s something I continue to fight for.”
Coun. Kevin Flynn, who annually voices his disapproval at the city having to pay for such a large budget item as policing without providing any input, said he thinks 1992 was the last time the Salmon Arm detachment received an increase in provincial officers.
He also thanked the police for the good work they do, and expressed his appreciation for Staff Sgt. Scott West’s continued lobbying for more provincial officers.
Flynn noted that the 0.77 increase for the 2019 budget is higher than the 0.45 per cent predicted in 2017, and he expects the costs will continue to be higher than predicted.
“I will vote in favour, but I find this continually frustrating. We’re lucky to have the police protecting our community, they do a great job, but the costs are so uncontrollable.”
@SalmonArm
marthawickett@saobserver.net
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