After listening for nearly an hour to residents’ pleas to make cuts to the proposed tax hike for 2025, the City of Langford responded, reducing the number of RCMP officers to be hired this year from five to four.
Originally accounting for four per cent of this year’s property tax increase, the funding would have allowed for the recruitment of five new officers – two working in a new economic crime department, one for the special victims unit and two for the investigative services team, who assist frontline officers.
The cut was proposed by Coun. Lillian Szpak, who explained she was not “devaluing the service,” more looking to find a more “creative approach” to policing.
“This is the hard work that we’re doing, rolling up our sleeves, listening to our community, looking for efficiencies,” she said at the March 4 committee of the whole meeting. “We’ve required them from every single department in our city.”
Urging against the budget cut was Supt. Todd Preston, officer in charge of West Shore RCMP, who warned reducing the number of recruits would “definitely” impact the service’s ability to ensure public safety. And if given final approval, he said it would be up to city councillors to decide where they would like “less policing.”
“I would strongly advocate that you don’t reduce policing in this community,” he said. “To keep this community safe I would need the five members.”
Based on Langford’s population growth according to BC Stats, Preston said the cop-to-population ratio calls for 5.8 new officers for the city, a figure he rounded down to five. “I’ve tried to do my bit by not asking for the sixth based on the population increase,” he said.
“Now [Langford] run the risk of fracturing relationships with other communities, in terms of not pulling your weight,” he added in reference to the financial support the RCMP receives from the other West Shore municipalities.
Couns. Mark Morley, Mary Wagner and Mayor Scott Goodmanson all vocalized their support for hiring five new RCMP officers.
While acknowledging the 'cop-to-pop' ratio may not be the best way to determine RCMP staffing levels, Goodmanson urged against making rash changes to the methodology.
“Trying to rejig it during budget is like rebuilding the boat while you are on the water,” he said. “If this is what [the RCMP] need to service our community, I’m not going to tell them they’re wrong on that.”
“This is not a nice to have, it’s a need to have,” he added.
“Pulling back from the five right now does seem a bit awkward,” said Wagner.
A motion to recommend making no changes to the proposed RCMP budget, allowing for the recruitment of five officers, was opposed by Couns. Keith Yacucha, Kimberley Guiry, Colby Harder and Szpak.
Szpak’s motion to recruit four officers was supported by the majority of council, with Goodmanson and Morley in opposition.
"We are still expanding police services, just not as quickly," said Yacucha.
In contrast to pared-down increase to the RCMP’s budget, councillors were unanimous in their recommendation that the fire department’s budget increase, accounting for 1.85 per cent of the property tax hike, stay at the proposed amount.
The proposed increase will allow for the recruitment of nine additional staff members – six firefighters, two fire inspectors and one training officer. As a result of the new recruits, Langford’s second fire hall on Happy Valley Road will be staffed 24/7.
Acknowledging the fire department is “running a very tight ship,” leaving it “no wiggle room” to meet service demand, Szpak made the motion to recommend sticking to the proposed budget.
“We want to be a full-service department,” she said. “Safety and security of our community with regards to our fire response is number one.”
The proposed property tax increase for 2025 had originally started at 14.51 percent, dropping to 11.96 per cent following cuts made at a February meeting.
In addition to trimming the proposed RCMP budget, the city also chipped away in other areas at the March 4 meeting, including its general staffing budget and reducing the amount to be saved for future technology upgrades.
Budget discussions will continue at the regular council meeting on Monday, March 17.
