LPS details potential impacts of $1 million budget cut

In response to the cuts, the Police Commission has outlined potential impacts these cuts will have for the city.

For the 2021 Budget year, it was shown there will be no change in service during the current year.

Outlined in the report, the Lethbridge Police Commission will be using Budget Appropriation Unexpended (BAU) funds and potential retirements, various claims, and vacancies to reduce the impact of the budget cut on the employees for the next two years (2021 & 2022).

However, the report points out, “Once the funding from the BAU runs out, the $1 million budget cut will result in reduced service levels for the citizens of Lethbridge and a potential impact on full-time positions at Lethbridge Police Service.”

It was also noted, that risks associated with using all available BAU funds, will require the necessity for the commission to go back to Council to request additional funds as needed, for expenses such as; Overtime related to Homicide, Employee well-being, Employee training, and Body-worn cameras.

The figure shown below sees how exactly the cut will affect specific programs in LPS.

Image from LPS report

A section of the report shows how crime has impacted the city of Lethbridge as it steadily rises.

“The result has led to increased perceptions by citizens that Lethbridge is not a safe community and an increasing lack of confidence in police. In particular, the downtown core has seen an increase in social problems, crime, and perceptions of it being an unsafe place to visit,” the report outlines.

The cuts could impact how police carry out every day servicing and protecting of citizens.

Previous Story: LPS budget cut will mean fewer officers on the streets: Chief

Police outlined crime and social trends in the city:

An overall increase in calls for service for police. Specifically, an increase in non-criminal and nuisance incidents that are taxing police resources. This includes calls for service involving mental health and other health-related incidents such as public overdoses requiring staff to perform life-saving measures.
A drastic increase in open consumption of illegal drugs that include methamphetamine and opioids. This includes needle debris, erratic behavior by users, and increased perception of Lethbridge not being a safe community.
Significant increase in property-related crimes which are a spin-off from the drug crisis that Lethbridge is experiencing currently. This includes stolen autos, thefts from motor vehicles, thefts in general, and frauds such as tap frauds. Again, this has increased the perception that Lethbridge is not a safe place to be.
An increase in social disorder attributed to the drug crisis includes aggressive, violent, irrational, and erratic behavior by those attributed to being under the influence of methamphetamine.
Increase in mobility and transitory nature of crime and criminals. In particular, those associated with the illegal drug trade. Police have seen first-hand how the Supervised Consumption Site had brought individuals from other communities into Lethbridge to use drugs which contributed to other crime and social disorder within the City.

Per capita, LPS says they are already understaffed compared to other neigbouring cities and others across Canada.

“Based on information available from Statistics Canada, the Lethbridge Police Service is understaffed on average by two officers provincially, and 13 officers nationally.”

The report was accepted as information by city council, to be discussed at a future meeting.

The link to the full report can be found here.

by Connor Gunn

LPS details potential impacts of $1 million budget cut

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