Niagara Region approves $177.9 million total for rising police costs
Published January 27, 2023 at 11:13 am
The Niagara Region budget review committee approved a 5.7 per cent increase for Niagara Police’s 2023 operating budget – a total of $177.9 million – at last night’s (Jan. 26) meeting.
While the committee agreed to the hike, the first item on the budget agenda, it is not carved in stone just yet. The agreement in principle must pass the final budget vote at council later next month.
Niagara Police Chief Bryan MacCulloch appeared online before the committee, asking the committee for the larger budget in order to hire more officers, cover wage increases to current officers and meet the rising cost of fuel for their fleet.
“When we bring forward a budget request, we are not playing a negotiating game, we are not over asking so we end up getting something smaller,” said MacCulloch. “What we ask for is what we need to adequately and effectively police our community.”
The next budget committee meeting will be Feb. 9.
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