The Victoria and Esquimalt Police Board confirms the Province of British Columbia has approved the Board’s appeal under Section 27 of the Police Act regarding VicPD’s 2022 budget request.
The province has directed that councils fund the $1,342,525 shortfall resulting from the Township of Esquimalt Council’s decision not to approve certain items in the 2022 VicPD budget as submitted by the Board. This included $254,000 in overtime funding for the Greater Victoria Emergency Response Team and Public Safety Unit, as well as six police officers and four civilian positions.
The Board’s role is to establish a budget for VicPD that reflects adequate and effective policing within its service area. In establishing the budget, the Board considers a variety of factors including the different needs, goals, and priorities of each municipality, the priorities of the Minister, current and anticipated policing challenges observed by the Board and Chief Constable, and the VicPD Strategic Goals.
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