Hello Ward 8 Neighbours,
The Hamilton Police Service Board is seeking community feedback in regards to its proposed budget increase of 5.7%.
For more details, please continue reading below…
From the Hamilton Police Service Board’s media release:
Hamilton Police Service Board Seeking Public Opinions on Proposed 2025 Police Budget
At the Hamilton Police Service Board’s Budget Committee meeting on November 26, 2024, committee members unanimously approved presenting the proposed 2025 Police Budget to the full Board at their December 17 public meeting.
The Budget Committee met four times this year to consider the 2025 Police Budget. After much deliberation and consideration, committee members unitedly supported an increase of 5.7% over last year’s budget.
All Police Service Boards in Ontario must adhere to the Community Safety and Policing Act, 2019. According to the Act and in relation to police budgets, a Police Service Board shall:
Submit operating and capital estimates to the municipality that will show, separately, the amounts that will be required to,
(a) comply with this Act and the regulations, including the amounts required to provide the police service with required equipment and facilities, having regard for the various ways that the board can discharge this obligation; and
(b) pay the expenses of the board’s operation, other than the remuneration of board members.
The Budget Committee strongly considers this increase is necessary to comply with the Act. In collaboration with the Service, the Budget Committee has done their due diligence to locate cost savings and reductions wherever possible.
The Hamilton Police Service Board is looking to gather public opinions of the 2025 Police Budget in advance of their December 17, 2024 meeting.
Community members may submit their *opinions to the attention of Kirsten Stevenson at kirsten.stevenson@hamilton.ca up until 5 PM on Monday, December 9, 2024.
*Please note: all correspondence received by the deadline will be published on the Board’s December 17, 2024 agenda and posted on our public website. First and last names will be published, but personal information such as email and/or street addresses and phone numbers will be removed prior to publishing. Any questions related to this matter may be directed to the Board’s Administrative Director Kirsten Stevenson.
Questions or concerns?
If you have any questions or concerns, you can contact our office here.