P.E.I.’s two most populated municipalities are not considering defunding their police departments.
The topic of changing the way law enforcement is funded has been swirling for the past few weeks since the deaths of George Floyd in Minneapolis and Regis Korchinski-Paquet in Toronto.
Defunding police budgets refers to redirecting money from law enforcement to other programs to combat racism and better reflect diversity.
SUMMERSIDE
Summerside Mayor Basil Stewart said the discussion hasn’t come up at all, either at the city council level or in talks he’s had with residents. The city’s operational police budget is about $4.4 million or about 21 per cent of the overall municipality’s budget.
“People, to my knowledge, are very pleased with the work the police force is doing,’’ Stewart said. “They try hard and they work hard. There has been absolutely no discussion on any of that.’’
HALIFAX
However, the mayor of the region’s largest municipality has faced much criticism over his police department and its budget
And while Halifax Regional Council recently made changes to the Halifax Regional Police capital budget, Mayor Mike Savage said during the city council debate that any changes to police budgets should not be construed in any way as being an anti-police vote.
The City of Halifax did cancel the purchase of an armoured vehicle for its police department which led many to believe it was in response to calls from the public to defund police.
POLICE BUDGETS
The following is some information on what is spent on policing in Prince Edward Island:
- Charlottetown, $9.9 million
- Summerside, $4.4 million
- Kensington, $459,000
CHARLOTTETOWN
Charlottetown Mayor Philip Brown said he spoke with an official in the Halifax mayor’s office and said that wasn’t the intention.
“Halifax are having some budgetary issues, so they were looking at reducing their police and fire capital purchases,’’ Brown said.
Charlottetown has already spent $150,000 in capital purchases for its police department. The money was used to buy things like a drone and new Tasers that come with a video feature. The department’s operational budget is $9.9 million or about 16 per cent of the city’s overall budget.
Coun. Bob Doiron, chairman of Charlottetown’s protective and emergency services committee, said he stands behind the police department 100 per cent.
“I’ve worked a couple of summers there. I’ve known people who have worked with me. It’s nothing but a good group of men and women who work there,’’ Doiron said.
The councillor said it can’t be stressed enough that the capital purchases the city has made have been made with saving lives in mind and using less lethal forms of enforcement.
“Council is behind them. And, there is no indication that we’re in a monetary crunch right now that would force us to defund or claw back or reduce staff.’’
Doiron did add one caveat to his thoughts — that the city going forward will be run prudently, and everything is on the table when it comes to money.
