TIMMINS - With the local police force asking the city for a 9.6 per cent budget increase, the chief and board chair were at the council table to talk about the hike.
New cruisers, technology such as automatic licence plate readers and training are driving up police costs, Timmins council heard at its Dec. 10 meeting.
The 2025 police budget net cost is $20.4 million, which is $1.79 million more than this year. It includes a 2.9 per cent ($515,619) increase in operation costs and a 6.7 per cent ($1.28 million) increase in capital.
The Timmins Police is one of the agencies, boards and commissions (ABCs) that impact the overall Timmins budget, which has yet to be finalized for 2025.
In all of the engagement that the service has done, Chief Sydney Lecky said people want to see more police presence.
"They want to see the visibility, whether it's foot patrols, whether it's out in South Porcupine dealing with speeding, which is one issue, and that has been raised out there in the discussions," he said.
To do that, he said vehicles are needed. The cars also need cameras and automatic licence readers, which help officers identify problem drivers, suspended drivers, or people with warrants.
"For me, sitting around the table or as a taxpayer, there has to be a better way to get the information out to the people on what the results are," said Coun. Bill Gvozdanovic, who had questioned what taxpayers are getting for the extra policing costs.
He noted that reports had been provided, but stopped being shared.
"And I think it's important that some kind of reporting come back here, not that you're obligated to do it, but ... highlight the successes that even though you're paying an extra two per cent in taxes for policing, this is what's happening with the money," said Gvozdanovic.
Board chair Kraymr Grenke agreed to the ask as the board has been more data-driven and monthly reports are available.
Data doesn't represent parts of the job, though.
"You can't quantify morale," said Lecky, adding that one of the biggest challenges with policing is that everybody wants data.
"And yes, I can tell you how many people were arrested, I can tell you how many people were charged, but I can't tell you how many people feel well when they come to work. It's not as easy to quantify some of the other things, what it's like when you don't have the tools to do your job."
Coun. Steve Black shared a reminder of the crisis in policing a year ago.
"We weren't sure we were gonna be able to staff enough people to provide policing in the community, and that was kind of the discussion within the service and out on the streets as well. So to be back at 86 which I believe is one officer short of our all-time high, it's an accomplishment, and the feeling that we will get back up towards what our ultimate compliment goal is, towards the end of this coming year, is a big thing," he said.
In November 2023, after less than two years on the job, Dan Foy stepped down as the police chief. A couple of days later, the Timmins Police Association voted to reach out to the Ontario Civilian Police Commission (OCPC) to ask for help addressing the staffing crisis and public and officer safety concerns that come with it.
The OCPC is a third-party agency that can conduct investigations and resolve disputes about the oversight and provision of policing services. In the past year, there have been changes and the OCPC is being dissolved. While it's still investigating policing matters started before April 1, 2024, the agency told TimminsToday last month that it "does not confirm or deny whether it has received information or investigation requests". The association has also not provided an update on the situation.
Escalating costs province-wide
The increasing cost of policing is being talked about across the province as municipalities serviced by the OPP receive the budget estimates for 2025.
SEE: Small towns struggling with soaring OPP costs, says Kirkland Lake mayor
In its presentation, the Timmins Police compared the cost per capita for policing compared to municipal services in North Bay, Sudbury, Sault Ste. Marie and Thunder Bay.
In Timmins, the cost per person based on 2022 data is $407. In North Bay it's $424 per capita, Sudbury's $437, Sault Ste. Marie is $484 and Thunder Bay is $670.
The cost for Timmins Police is built into the municipal taxes.
In the third quarter of 2024, the median price for a single-detached home locally was $272,500. Based on the 2024 tax data, that homeowner would pay $5,481 in taxes, with $1,012 going to the police services board. Property owners can calculate how much of their property tax goes toward policing and other services here.
For OPP, municipalities pay the same base services cost per property, plus additional costs for calls for service, overtime, accommodations, cleaning services, prisoner transportation, court security and enhancements.
The estimated cost for OPP for the average household is $399.
RELATED: Kirkland Lake mayor 'cautiously optimistic' about OPP cost relief
While the province has announced $77 million for municipalities to offset the cost of the OPP services, the funding doesn't extend for municipal services.
The board is hopeful that grants will be available for municipal police services in 2025, said Grenke, who also gave credit to the OPP. When TPS needs services that it doesn't have in-house, the OPP provides it free of charge to TPS, he said.
- With files from OrilliaMatters
