Public input session before regional budget approval sees more debate on WRPS funding - Kitchener.CityNews.ca

Police funding was once again a contentious topic at the final public input session ahead of the finalization of the 2024 regional budget.

Waterloo Regional Police Service (WRPS) is requesting a $14 million increase to their budget to address their staffing shortage by hiring 18 more officers, among rising inflation and increased benefit costs.

Mark Egers, President of the Waterloo Regional Police Association was one of the delegates Wednesday night, and he told Council that the region’s rapid expansion has put too much pressure on staff.

“This cannot continue,” said Egers. “Especially if we want our members to perform at their best, remain healthy and stay on the job to protect and serve our communities. Quite frankly, we’re in a crisis and desperately need more human resources. This crisis did not happen overnight. It is the outcome of years of chronic under-resourcing.”

After Egers’ presentation, Regional Councillor Rob Deutschmann asked Egers about how WRPS could need such a significant funding increase to hire more officers when they had a surplus last year and didn’t make enough hires.

Egers told Deutschmann that WRPS has never had sustainable staffing, and now they have a lot of ‘baby boomers’ retiring.

“We are so far behind the rest of the province right now,” said Egers. “If we’re losing members, it’s because of their workload. They’re going call-to-call for 12 hours per day, which is unsustainable.”

Egers added that underfunding the police would be a huge detriment to the safety of the community.

Meanwhile outside council chambers, several community groups were rallying. They are calling for regional councillors to divert extra police funding to social services.

“Every year the police seem to run a surplus,” said Acer Bonaparte of Ground Up WR. “Right now they have a rainy day fund of $14 million, yet they continue to ask for more money and council just continues to approve that. Meanwhile, social services suffer and have to beg for scraps.”

Members from community groups in Waterloo Region rallied outside council chambers calling on councillors to reject the WRPS budget. /Jonathan Strom

December 13 marks final budget day for the Region of Waterloo.

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Public input session before regional budget approval sees more debate on WRPS funding - Kitchener.CityNews.ca
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