2000 Operating Budget - Police Budget Issues

City of Vancouver

Inter-Office Correspondence

CITY MANAGER’S OFFICE

DATE: April 18, 2000

MEMO TO: Standing Committee on City Services and Budgets

FROM: City Manager

Chief Constable

COPY TO: U. Watkiss, City Clerk

J. Beresford, Manager of Budgets

SUBJECT: 2000 Operating Budget: Police Budget Issues

On April 6, 2000, the City Manager and Chief Constable were asked by the Standing Committee on City Services and Budgets to report back on budget and staffing issues related to the creation of the Police Department’s new Criminal Intelligence Section, the secondment of 20 police officers to the Organized Crime Agency of BC (OCABC) and the budget management proposal to withhold funding for replacing seven of the sworn officers assigned to OCABC.

The Organized Crime Agency of BC began operating about January 2000 following the disbanding of the Coordinated Law Enforcement Unit (CLEU). This change resulted in the need for Vancouver to create its own criminal intelligence unit.

Vancouver Police -- Criminal Intelligence Section (CIS)

Council has approved the creation of the new criminal intelligence section utilizing positions and funding that were in the Police Department budget as follows:

Positions assigned to CLEU 34 sworn positions funded in Police budget

Positions assigned to CIS 21 sworn positions

5 sworn converted to 8 civilians
8 sworn - funding used to pay cost

Total: 34 equals staff assigned to CLEU in 1999

Funding in Budget (prior to 2000)

New CIS total annual operating cost: $1,388 K (staff 21 sworn, 8 civilians)

funded by:
-reduction of 13 sworn positions 1,138 K
-less 324 Main Street maintenance 140 K
-less Ports Building lease costs 165 K

Net Surplus to Budget $ 55 K

In short, the department has assigned 34 members to CIS: 21 in sworn positions, five to fund eight civilian positions and eight to cover the balance of the CIS operating costs. The net impact of this approval is a $55,000 reduction in the department budget.

Vancouver Police Secondments to OCABC

With the creation of OCABC, the Police Department agreed to second 20 sworn positions to that organization on the understanding the province would reimburse the City for the entire cost. The Province has confirmed that this funding will be available beginning on April 1, 2000.

COMMENTS OF THE CHIEF CONSTABLE:

The Chief Constable agrees that a portion of the work performed by OCABC will benefit Vancouver, and that, overall, there is an increase in the level of service with respect to intelligence operations with the creation of the CIS, and the Police Department’s contribution of 20 officers to OCABC, if all are replaced. However, the Chief Constable takes the position that the Police Department was under-resourced with respect to addressing organized crime and that an increase in the intelligence operations is required. The Chief Constable points out that the Police Department does not have administrative or operational control over the deployment of resources at OCABC and that the quantification of the benefit to Vancouver is difficult and cannot be interpreted as an increase equivalent to seven sworn officers. It should also be noted that the Police Department reduced the number of officers assigned to intelligence duties prior to 2000.

The creation of the Criminal Intelligence Section to address organized crime is clearly justified and, in fact, is overdue. The CIS was created entirely within the existing budget of the Police Department as an adjustment in staffing. The Vancouver Police Department’s contribution to OCABC will assist in ensuring OCABC’s success. This contribution is also revenue-neutral as there is full cost-recovery from OCABC.

It is necessary to replace all the police seconded to OCABC and, therefore, that all the Provincial funding is required in the Police budget to prevent a reduction in service in the other areas of police work.

COMMENTS OF THE CITY MANAGER:

The City Manager notes that when the new CIS was approved, it was agreed that a reduction in sworn staff funding was appropriate to pay for this initiative. This was translated to a reallocation of 13 positions as detailed above. The creation of Vancouver’s CIS and the Provincial contribution for the 20 police positions at OCABC, if all are replaced, is an increase in level of service. This arises because:

… the Police department provided 34 sworn positions to CLEU with funding by the City

…the new Vancouver CIS utilizes all of these positions to fund criminal intelligence work by the Police Department

…OCABC will enhance the intelligence capabilities of the Vancouver CIS
…the Province will pay the full cost of 20 Vancouver officers assigned to OCABC

The decision for Council is whether the Police department is justified in a net increase in sworn staff to complete the criminal intelligence work formerly done by CLEU. The City Manager has taken the position that there is some justification for replacing the 13 sworn positions formerly assigned to CLEU and now converted to fund the operations at the CIS. However, it is put for Council consideration whether funding for the additional seven positions can be justified.

The City Manager suggests the following for CONSIDERATION:

A. THAT Council allocate all of the funding received from OCABC to the Police budget to permit full replacement of 20 seconded staff.

B. THAT Council allocate funding received from OCABC equivalent to 13 sworn positions to the Police budget to permit replacement of 13 seconded staff AND THAT the balance of the funding be taken as a budget management reduction.

C. THAT Council allocate all funding received from OCABC to the Police budget to permit replacement of 20 seconded staff for the year 2000 only, AND THAT the Chief Constable and City Manager report on the CIS success and the justification for the continuation of full replacement of staff seconded to OCABC.

B.D. MacGregor Terry Blythe
Deputy City Manager Chief Constable

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