York Regional council approves police budget

Vaughan Weekly
January 15, 2014

York Regional Council recently approved the 2014 police operating and capital budgets, giving York Regional Police the tools it needs to maintain its community-based crime prevention and law enforcement programs as the Region of York continues to grow.

For 2014, the net operating budget is $278.1 million.

The capital budget is $29.4 million. The service will be adding 16 officers and 30 civilians in 2014.

This represents a 3.89 per cent increase over 2013, which is the lowest percentage increase in 18 years.

The additional officers will be deployed to frontline patrol, Investigative and Support Services and Staff Services.

This is the second year that new hires have included a significant number of civilians. In an effort to reassign officers from desk duties to frontline patrol, planned civilian hires include positions which will result in the redeployment of 11 officers to frontline patrol. Our frontline with be further augmented with the 16 new police recruits.

“With the continuing growth of York Region, we must serve our community in a sustainable, responsive manner,” said Chief Eric Jolliffe. “I believe this budget serves that goal and enables us to maintain our crime prevention and law enforcement programs.

We are fortunate to have the ongoing support of the Police Services Board and Regional Council, especially in increasingly difficult economic times.”

“We are thankful to Regional Council for its dedication to keeping York Region among the safest places in Canada,” said Chair Frank Scarpitti of the Regional Municipality of York Police Services Board and Mayor of the City of Markham. “We remain committed to excellence in policing. I am pleased that we will be able to improve and continue to provide the very best police services to our growing communities by building new facilities and enhancing our equipment and technology.”

The capital budget will provide funding for a new communications radio system, a land bank acquisition, as well as the annual purchase of vehicles, information technology equipment and specialized equipment.

For more information, please contact Corporate Communications at 1-866- 876-5423, ext. 2664.