A Victoria city council plan to reduce the police department’s core budget this year flies in the face of a B.C. government ruling that the force needs more officers, Chief Del Manak said Thursday.
Manak said he could still end up cutting staff, instead of adding officers, if council sticks to its 2019 budget plan.
Following a lengthy review, Tonia Enger, acting director of B.C.’s Police Services Division, has ordered Victoria and Esquimalt to hire the six officers that Manak requested last year, but never received.
The chief, however, said he’s now looking at cutting a total of nine officers and civilians this year because Victoria council wants to limit his 2019 budget increase to $1.8 million. That cuts into his core budget because it fails to cover rising costs — including nearly $700,000 for the province’s new employer health tax.
Manak told reporters that Victoria council’s budget position is “inconsistent” with the provincial government finding that his department is overworked and needs more people.
“I’m in the really difficult position [of] increasing by six, but having to reduce perhaps by nine,” he said.
Manak acknowledged that the dispute could end up going back to the provincial government if Victoria council insists on cutting his core budget.
“That’s a potential,” he said. “I hope we don’t go there.
“I mean, I think the letter from the province of British Columbia is quite strong. I hope that council takes the information to heart.”
In her letter to Esquimalt Mayor Barb Desjardins and Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps, Enger says Victoria needs the officers and notes that proactive and preventative policing is often the first casualty when there are too few people on the job.
“In my view, such work is not a ‘nice to have’ but is in fact a necessity,” Enger wrote.
The province got involved last year after Esquimalt, which covers about 15 per cent of the police budget, balked at paying its $40,778 share for the six officers that Manak requested. Victoria agreed to pay its $528,000 share subject to Esquimalt’s approval.
When he was unable to hire the six officers, Manak responded by redeploying six officers — including three school liaison officers — to fill gaps on his front lines.
The chief said Thursday that, while his goal has always been to reinstate the school-liaison officers if the province ruled in his favour, he’s now unclear whether that will be possible with Victoria council demanding budget cuts.
“So before I can put the school officers back, I’m going to have to wait and see what those reductions mean and the impact it’s going to have,” he said.
Victoria council postponed a decision on the matter Thursday and asked the police board to come back with budget options.
Coun. Jeremy Loveday complained that council has asked previously for the police board to provide a revised budget and has yet to see one.
“I don’t feel I have all the information right now to make an informed decision, and a little frustrated that it continues on in that direction,” he said.
“I’m hoping that … ultimately we will get all the information that we need before we make a final decision.”
