KITCHENER -- The Waterloo Regional Police Service is asking for $185 million for its 2021 budget. On Wednesday morning, the Police Services Board approved that ask unanimously.
The first version of the budget was presented in October and asked for $189 million, or an increase of more than $8 million compared to the 2020 budget.
The total has been brought down to a total ask of $185.4 million, which works out to an increase of $10.54 per household.
Police Chief Bryan Larkin said the budget is not without its challenges, but said he believed it would allow police to meet their mandate.
He also said police have been listening to the community's calls for change.
"We believe the budget we're presenting will allow us to continue to advance and through 2021 with key performance indicators we also commit to working with the board around, what does the future really look like? " he said.
" We have significant strategies in place to divert, to upstream, to offload, or to simply stop doing. However you want to refer to it, we are working on strategies to change the way we do business."
He appealed to the community for a unified approach in the future.
The police service is scheduled present its plans to the Region of Waterloo's budget committee on Dec. 16 and again on Jan. 12.
Regional council is set to approve its full budget on Jan. 20.
