Victoria police carried the lion's share of security costs borne by south Vancouver Island police departments during last month's 2010 Olympic torch relay, newly released figures show.

Victoria spent $141,000 for overtime alone, although finalized costs, such as those for officers' meal allowances and stables for Vancouver police horses, are still being tallied. Other districts, excluding those policed by the RCMP, had combined overtime costs of $27,500. RCMP totals are not available.

Victoria police spokesman Sgt. Grant Hamilton said Victoria's higher costs were to be expected with the launch taking place in the city and then returning later in the day for a celebration. Victoria police also assisted the motorcade as the torch moved up the Island.

He said, however, the costs have already been absorbed into the operating budget, which was trimmed with hiring and purchasing deferrals. "We will not be going to council and asking for more money."

The overtime bill included $88,000 for the day of the torch relay itself. Training, intelligence gathering and planning leading up to the Oct. 30 event, as well as post-event wrap-up, added another $53,000.

An additional $60,000 was spent on a public backup radio communication system from Telus called iDEN, but that cost has also been rolled into the operating budget.

Saanich police spent $22,500 on overtime and dedicated 81 officers to work the torch relay, which wound through Saanich in the afternoon.

"That's a big chunk of our police department," said police spokeswoman Sgt. Julie Fast.

Fast said the budget impact would not be known until year-end, but other areas were trimmed to cover the costs.

Central Saanich police employed 10 additional officers at a cost of $5,000. That figure will come out of Central Saanich's regular overtime budget, said spokeswoman Cpl. Janis Jean.

Overtime figures were unavailable from West Shore RCMP, but spokesman Cpl. Gerry Sutherland said 27 West Shore officers were assigned to the torch relay to support Victoria and Sidney on the Friday. On the Saturday, 22 extra officers were on torch duty as the flame moved from Sooke through the West Shore and up to the Malahat.

Nanaimo RCMP Insp. Al O'Donnell said the detachment exercised "extraordinarily tight security," with as many as 70 officers dedicated to the torch relay as it passed through the community, costing the department about $30,000 in overtime.

The RCMP bike squad and dog teams were on hand, as well as the Vancouver mounted police squad and an RCMP helicopter.

Hamilton said cost-sharing on those components and other details, including exchanges-in-kind, are still being negotiated among Victoria police and other departments, including the RCMP.

He said that the City of Victoria received some funding from the Vancouver Olympic Organizing Committee, and a portion will be allocated to security costs.

"That amount is still to be determined," Hamilton said.

jhatherly@tc.canwest.com

kderosa@tc.canwest.com