The Greater Sudbury Police Services Board has approved a request by Chief Ian Davidson and senior management to raise the police budget by 5.5 percent in 2006 to just under $37 million.
This percentage increase is the lowest requested by the police service in more than five years and represents only salary and benefits increases for new officers hired in the past year and a request for $100,000 to increase overtime, said Davidson, at Monday's monthly police services board meeting.
"The only increase we're asking for is the $100,000 for overtime on the operational side," said Davidson. "This is a very responsible budget...the only area where we've asked for any increase is with overtime."
The remaining increase would be for salaries and benefits for new officers and increases negotiated during collective bargaining between city management and city employees.
The proposal to increase the budget must now be approved by members of city council during upcoming budget deliberations.
Davidson pointed out the police service has hired a number of additional officers over the past few years and this has resulted in the police service asking for increases in the range of 10, eight and seven percent over the past three years.
The police service currently has 241 sworn officers, another 100 civilian employees and 60 part-time employees, he said.
