Halifax police board votes to fund 22 new positions on municipal force

Halifax's police board is recommending the municipal force receive nearly all of the funding it requested for new positions in the upcoming budget, but it cut the RCMP's request in half.

Halifax Regional Police originally asked for 24 new positions for their 2024-25 operating budget, amounting to just under $1.4 million. That included a dozen positions in front-line policing, employee assistance, community response, positions to run cadet classes and security clearance, as well as a hate-crime officer.

On Wednesday, the city's board of police commissioners voted to give them funding for 22 positions, cutting the six community-response officers to four.

Coun. Becky Kent, who is chair of the board, also asked that two of the 12 front-line officers be paid by the municipal force but work in the community safety department. That unit is looking at new models of policing, including how Halifax could use civilians to respond to calls involving mental health issues or homelessness.

"We need some policing members at the table consistently to develop the models, to be part of that work that's being done," Kent said during the meeting.

The vast majority of the municipal force's budget was fixed, including member compensation and equipment. In total, the board recommended that Halifax police receive a budget of $98,011,400, saving about $120,000 by cutting the two positions in the original request.

That would represent an increase of six per cent from last year's budget of $92.3 million.

During public feedback, some people supported the idea of adding more community response officers, especially in downtown Dartmouth. But most residents were against new spending.

Kent said the board looks at the whole picture and weighs the delivery of police services with public opinion. While new approaches will hopefully be rolled out soon, she said Halifax is growing and police need sufficient support.

"Policing aren't gonna go anywhere, but they may have a different role in the future — which we all agreed it's time for us to consider that, and I think we're going to get there," Kent said.

Acting police Chief Don MacLean said he respects the board's decision, and the 10 front-line positions would help with many issues as the force deals with looming retirements and vacancy issues related to physical and mental health.

MacLean said there are still plans to give certain officers specialized training to wait with people in mental-health crisis at the hospital, which he has said takes up about 4,500 hours of police time each year.

"I think certainly that, you know, those officers will be beneficial," MacLean said.

Halifax RCMP asked for seven new positions, but the board voted that they should get three: a superintendent and two officers dedicated to domestic violence cases.

Each Halifax RCMP officer costs about $179,000 annually, which includes salary, fuel, uniforms and capital costs like buildings and vehicles.

Both the RCMP and Halifax municipal police budget requests will go to Halifax council for a final decision during the budget process. If their recommendation is rejected, the board will have to review it.

The final Halifax budget will be approved in April 2024.