If money is so tight, HRM shouldn’t be spending on increases for policing, said several residents on Monday night.
The Halifax Board of Police Commissioners heard an earful from residents about the proposed $95 million operating budget for Halifax Regional Police, which includes an increase of more than $6 million. HRP is looking to hire five new positions this year (three sergeants, a police psychologist and an occupational health nurse) while the RCMP wants to add 16 new constables over the next three years.
Most of the 16 people who signed up to speak on Monday night were against the increase. The few who spoke out in favour had ties to the RCMP.
“Given the financial crunch that the city is in and all these serious issues (like transit reductions and homelessness), how can the police justify the extra money?” said Naveen Rai, from Halifax.
A special, in-person meeting was held on Jan. 16 where more than 20 residents shared their thoughts on the HRP budget (it was livestreamed). The board decided to have a second meeting on Monday, this time virtual, for people who couldn’t attend the in-person meeting.
'Caused me significant harm’
Kylee Nunn, who lives in north-end Halifax, said she was nervous speaking publicly but was clear on her experiences with HRP.
Nunn said she is managing post-traumatic stress disorder because of her experiences with gender-based violence.
“I have had the experience of interacting with HRP during a wellness check which caused me significant harm,” she said.
Responders who have the right training to help people in crisis is crucial, adding that she feels police training is too general and inadequate.
“Particularly for racialized communities, a combination of bias and comprehensive training during wellness checks has been dangerous for people seeking help. This causes additional trauma, grieving and fear for communities that are impacted by these harms.”
More training isn’t the solution, she said, rather it’s detasking police and creating programs developed by experts and people with lived experience.
“I encourage you to reject the budget increase,” Nunn said. “The city has very few resources right now and I currently do not feel right now that Halifax Regional Police have values that represent the majority of the public.”
HRP Chief Dan Kinsella said he’s heard from many speakers who have made allegations toward the HRP over conduct concerns and said he wanted to point out there is a process to bring forward concerns and launch reviews.
“We take those allegations very seriously and when they’re presented at meetings like this without full context and supporting information, it leaves people with the wrong impression and doesn’t allow us to properly investigate,” he said.
Most of that increase ($5.441 million) relates to higher costs for staffing and collective bargaining, he said. Service enhancements amount to $628,000.
Detailed information how HRP spends their entire, $95 million budget will be presented on Feb. 3 to Halifax regional council.
A bigger population needs more policing
Dan McNaughton, a retired RCMP officer who lives in Fall River, said his neighbourhood has doubled in size but the policing has not increased proportionately.
“I would ask when the budgets are considered, due consideration be given to the rural areas,” he said. “We pay a significant amount of taxes, I mean everybody does, but the tax money that we pay doesn’t seem to be reflected in the increase in support and structure for our rural community.”
Hue Martin, Nova Scotia director for the National Police Federation (the union for the RCMP), said the policing landscape is very dynamic with recommendations pending from the Mass Casualty Commission and new policing standards coming from the Department of Justice.
“We’re at a point where we really have to advocate for our members, specifically for their safety,” he said.
“We certainly agree, as a union, with a lot of presenters’ views that a lot of these support programs do also need to receive funding, but our point is that it should not be at the expense of our members and the safety of our members, obviously.”
Mental health calls shouldn’t be a policing issue but they’re falling upon police to deal with them, leaving officers tied up for hours waiting at hospitals.
“We’re seeing also our police officers sometimes have to transfer patients because EHS and ambulances are simply not available. Again, not a policing issue in the past, but it is today," Martin said.
Martin said the last time RCMP increased their numbers in HRM was in 2018 when six constables were added.
The board will discuss the HRP budget at a special meeting on Jan. 30th before voting on a recommendation to send to council for their approval.
