LETHBRIDGE -- Lethbridge Police Service is embarking on a sweeping organizational review following a $1-million cut to the department’s operating budget in the coming year.
The reduction in funding amounts to about 2.5 per cent of the total policing budget. Lethbridge police Chief Shahin Mehdizadeh says the service will now begin a review of all programs not tied to core policing.
“We will not sacrifice our core policing function,” said Mehdizadeh.
He added all programs and services outside of patrol and investigative teams would be on the table. LPS operates a number of community-based programs, including a school resource officer program, community and cultural liaison programs, and others.
The police service had been funded for 172 officers. The chief said reducing the budget by $1 million would bring that number down to 165.
However, the department is currently under strength, with 166 positions filled.
Mehdizadeh said they are already stretched to the max.
“We need more police officers, not a bunch taken away from us. We all respect that decision and we are going to do whatever we can to deliver on the plans and make sure the citizens get the policing service they deserve.”
The organization that represents police officers in Lethbridge said it will be a challenge for members, considering the city already has 15 per cent fewer police officers per capita than the national average.
“We’re behind the eight ball to begin with,” said Sgt. Jay McMillan, president of the Lethbridge Police Association.
He points out Lethbridge is currently ranked number one on the National Crime Index, and said crime typically goes up when the economy is not doing well.
McMillan is concerned about the impact the service reduction will have on health of the rank and file, both physically and mentally.
"To be put in the meat grinder day after day, with no light at the end of the tunnel is problematic,” he said, calling the cuts, “inopportune, poorly timed and a bit myopic.”
On Monday Coun. Blaine Hyggen called for council to reconsider the cut to police spending due to escalating crime, the pandemic and ongoing drug crisis.
“Our crime index rate is the top in Canada,” said Hyggen. “We need these officers out there for our safety.”
Overall, the city’s operating budget was reduced by $8.2 million over next two years, to reduce the municipal portion of the property tax increase to zero per cent for 2021, and 2022.
Finance Committee Chair Rob Miyashiro said it was a tough decision, but now it will be up to LPS and the Lethbridge Police Commission to determine how they will accomplish the cuts.
“I’m not an anti-police person,” said Miyashiro. “I don’t think anyone on council is. Everyone has been asked to take a look at their budget, and that’s one thing that came out.”
The amount of funding approved by council includes about $2.4 million for initiatives such as The Watch, Community Peace Officer Program and PACT (Police and Crisis Response Team).
Mehdizadeh said there might be an opportunity to run some vacancies in all, but he was not planning on “stealing” form those programs to achieve the necessary cuts.
“By removing those programs is just going to add more stress on our front line police officers," he said.
Mehdizadeh says he’s not prepared to have officers doing more with less, but “less with less.” He added, “what the less translates into I don’t know. We are having discussions on that.”
Mehdizadeh told reporters the way he looks at it, the last place you’d want to cut a budget is public safety and policing. But he said he respects the decision and will move forward with it.
“We’ll do our best to serve the community to the best of our ability with what we are given," he said.
The department leadership is expected to make the difficult decisions fairly soon.
Submissions on how LPS plans to achieve the spending cuts will be outlined to the Lethbridge Police Commission early in 2021, and presented to city council in February.
