Pubdate: Fri, 09 Nov 2012
Source: Standard, The (St. Catharines, CN ON)
Copyright: 2012 Sun Media
Website: http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/676
Author: Jeff Bolichowski

MAJOR DRUG BUST,INVESTIGATIONS DROVE POLICE COSTS

ST. CATHARINES - It cost about $350,000 in overtime pay for Niagara
Regional Police to handle the massive Project Ink drug investigation,
said Chief Jeff McGuire, as he defended budget overruns driven by
extra hours.

McGuire laid that out for regional councillors Thursday as the service
presented its 2013 fiscal plan to regional council's budget committee.
Overtime costs are a major driver in taking the $126-million NRP
budget up to a 2.87% increase - 0.3% over the target regional council
asked for.

But McGuire said overtime is up because officers have had a lot of
major cases to investigate. Those include Project Ink, which busted a
major international drug ring running through Niagara.

"Those are things that we can't turn our backs on, nor should we do
so," he said.

"These are not the types of things that can be investigated on an
eight-hour day."

Councillors didn't vote on the budget Thursday, but the committee
meeting was council's first chance to sound off on the budget. It
forms a major slice of the Region's fiscal road map.

McGuire said the police service is trying to manage wages by leaving
non-essential civilian jobs vacant when people get sick or go on
vacation. But the NRP is on track for a $1.1-million overtime budget
overrun this year.

McGuire said that's largely due to major trial requirements and
investigations.

"Overtime dollars in policing, we manage as best we can and deal with
them however we can," he said.

But councillors still grilled the chief over his first Niagara
budget.

"The perception from a lot of the community is the crime rate has
fallen for the past 10 years," said St. Catharines Coun. Andy
Petrowski. He suggested that could open the door to cutting staff.

"The crime rate is seen to be leveling off or going down. Why would
the community, including myself, be misguided to think authorized
strength could decrease?"

McGuire said the decline in crime is likely because the service has
maintained its strength. It can have up to 704 officers on the beat,
plus another 319 civilians.

"We feel we're at the level we require to provide adequate and
effective policing," he said.

Thorold Mayor Ted Luciani praised the NRP for busting the drug
ring.

"Three-hundred fifty thousand dollars in overtime. To me, that's money
well spent," he said.

Niagara Falls Coun. Bart Maves said it's not clear what amounts to
adequate policing standards.

"Everyone likes their police force and men and women and the services
they provide," he said. But, he said, when it comes to getting value
for money, "I don't think most taxpayers feel that they are."

McGuire said most people are generally happy with their police
service. And, he said, police are taxpayers, too.

Less mentioned was a $15-million price tag for a new voice radio
system slotted for 2013. That's to replace the aging Motorola system
police currently use.

"It's a mission-critical piece of work," McGuire said earlier this
week. And, he said, it's about more than officer safety.

"It's important not to forget that that translates down to your
safety, for the public."
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