Board of Police Commissioners approves request to reduce SPS budget

Saskatoon’s Board of Police Commissioners has approved a request from city council to reduce the police budget by $199,300.

That money is equal to two-fifths of Chief Troy Cooper’s request for a total of $498,300. Part of that amount was offset by an energy savings of $85,800, for a total request of $412,500.

Last week, Cooper requested the money for five special constables to replace five sergeants in communications positions. The sergeants would then be assigned to other roles in the department.

“Those special constable positions were a the result of collective bargaining and our intention is still to add those positions so they can replace the sergeants,” Cooper told the board.

Cooper says he’ll go back to the department to find the savings for 2021.

“Our intention for the 2021 budget would be to delay recruitment of those five special constables (and) potentially look at reclassification of another civilian position for some salary savings there,” Cooper said.

“Our intention for now, because we’re on a timeline to report back to council, is to simply put a placeholder in compensation and then work on … exactly where that’s going to come from.”

However, the five positions will still be filled at some point.

“We intend, of course, to still add the positions as we outline in the budget,” Cooper added.

The addition of two crisis teams will still go ahead as well.

The police chief says he’ll likely make a verbal presentation to city council at its next December city council meeting. A written report will likely be submitted in the new year.