May 11, 2020 Board of Police Commissioners (Special)
Background Summary
• The 2020/21 Operating Budget proposal approved
in principle by HRM Council in January 2020 for the
Halifax Regional Police (HRP) was for $89,777,000.
• In light of significant financial constraints due to
COVID-19, HRP was provided a target to reduce
2020/21 HRP budget by $5,514,000.
Budget Assumptions & Considerations
A number of assumptions were required when making
the necessary adjustments to the initial budgeted
allotment:
• 2020-21 approved wage model was used
• Compensation (Salaries, Benefits, Retirement Allowance and
Workers Compensation) is 96.7% of total net budget
• Several of the adjustments are COVID-19 specific, and can be
expected to go back up to normal after the pandemic restrictions
are lifted
• Several of the adjustments are COVID-19 specific only, many costs
will increase after restrictions are lifted
• Overtime reduced by 25% due to COVID-19 impacts
• Court overtime reduced by 25% due to COVID-19 impacts
Budget Assumptions & Considerations
(Contd.)
• 18 total vacancies for sworn (9) and civilian (9)
members will not be filled
• 10 total upcoming retirements for sworn (8) and
civilian (2) members projected by December 2020
• 6 term layoffs
• Crossing Guard and Crossing Guard Supervisor
layoffs due to school closures
Compensation Reductions
These reductions are items related to current vacancies of full-time and
permanent positions. Also included in this category are projected
reductions in court time and overtime.
• Total staffing reductions including vacancies and retirements
would equal 17 total sworn members and 11 total civilian
members (this includes 61 full-time equivalent (FTE) in Crossing
Guards and 6 term layoffs).
• 25% reduction in both overtime and court time
• These proposed reductions will bring the total savings in
compensation to $4,033,000
Non-Compensation Reductions
• These reductions are items related to areas of
non-compensation including the following
categories:
• Contracted and external services
• Police equipment and communications
• Office equipment and supplies
• Others goods and services
• Reduced fees for service
• The total proposed non-compensation
reductions amount to $1,481,000
* Possible impact to Fire Services (no formal release)
"Tuesday, Halifax Council will be voting on a budget that removes almost 5.4 million from the Fire Department budget. Despite accounting for only 7.6% of Halifaxs budget, the Fire Department was hit particularly hard by budget cuts.
No layoffs are planned but staff are being removed from Upper Sackville, Black Point and either Herring Cove or Hammonds Plains to increase staffing in Sheet Harbour.
Communities should not be losing their emergency services in a growing city, or during a pandemic. Lots of capital projects still planned while taking staff out of fire stations, delaying emergency services.
Find your councillor on facebook or email and make sure they dont support reducing emergency services in our communities!!"
