Region of Waterloo councillors divided over vote to review police board budget

Region of Waterloo council members have voted down a motion put forward by regional Coun. Rob Deutschmann to send the proposed $214 million Waterloo Region Police Services Board (WRPSB) back to review where cuts could be made.

The vote on Wednesday showed how divided councillors are on the budget as regional councillors were deadlocked in a tie vote 8-8, leading to the proposal failing.

The motion sought to send the WRPSB budget for a re-evaluation, calling for an expansion no greater than eight full-time employees.

This comes after the police board proposed an increase of 19 full-time employees for 2023, representing a 7.2 per cent budgetary rate increase totalling $18.3 million.

“I just wanted to clarify, rejecting this is not rejecting more police,” said Coun. Deutschmann.

Adding: “We’re being asked to pay January 1 for people that are coming in April. This is not reducing police at all, it’s still the same 19 they asked for – still the same number of people – it’s just saying you can reject it because you don’t believe we should be providing the police with an extra $1 million they don’t need to accomplish what they said they want to do.”

“We need to watch out finances, and I really couldn’t see why we would need to make this move, which I don’t think we’ve done is past police budgets,” Coun. Deutschmann told CTV News on Thursday.

Coun. Deutschmann said he didn’t enter the meeting lobbying for votes, but did speak with Coun. James who shared her concerns about policing.

“If enough members were concerned about providing a million dollars surplus to police, they could still vote against it. We can extend if we had to the Feb. 22 date,” Coun. Deutschmann said.

Coun. Colleen James told the chambers as she had been sitting in the meeting all night, she had been getting emails from people speaking to issues with Waterloo region police officers.

“I’m sitting here as a black woman knowing that there is work to do, there is absolutely work to do, there is systemic work to do in the force,” said Coun. James.

Coun. Sue Foxton said it is common practice to send items for review.

"I'm agreeing with Coun. Deutschmann that we send it back and have them review it,” said Coun. Foxton. “There's nothing wrong with doing that, in fact it's been common practice in this council for years. When we have a question on policing or even our budgets, we've sent them back and said, let's see if we can tighten it up."

On the opposite side of the table, Coun. Joe Nowak said on almost a weekly basis, if not a monthly basis, he has heard of somebody’s car being stolen.

“There’s absolutely no way I can support Coun. Deutschmann’s motion here. We need more police,” said Coun. Nowak.

Coun. Doug Craig said he was disappointed in what has essentially happened is the region “scapegoated the police in this region.”

“We need to do a lot in terms of homelessness, we need to do a lot in terms of the addiction problems which we really haven’t talked about and need to talk about, and we need to understand the safety issues of what people feel in the community,” said Coun. Craig.

The regional budget will be debated on Feb. 22.

Here is who voted in favour and against a review of the police budget:

In support:

• Coun. Rob Deutschmann
• Coun. Sue Foxton
• Coun. Chantal Huinink
• Coun. Colleen James
• Coun. Dorothy McCabe
• Coun. Natasha Salonen
• Coun. Kari Williams
• Coun. Pam Wolf

Opposed:

• Chair Karen Redman
• Coun. Doug Craig
• Coun. Jim Erb
• Coun. Michael Harris
• Coun. Jan Liggett
• Coun. Joe Nowak
• Coun. Sandy Chantz
• Coun. Berry Vrbanovic