Regina city council votes in favour of 5.3% police budget increase

After nearly two hours of debate, Regina city council passed the police budget for 2016 a spending plan that adds high-powered carbine guns and eight more front-line police officers.

Councillors approved the proposed 5.3 per cent increase in operating funding.

The recommendation passed 9-1, with Coun. Shawn Fraser casting the only opposing vote.

• Proposed 3.8% tax hike up for debate at Regina City Hall

The Police Service net operating budget is just over $71.5 million. Regina police Chief Troy Hagen said the money is needed considering a greater area of responsibility.

"Our police-to-population ratio right now even with this increase does not keep up with the growth in the past five years," Hagen said. "So we are actually doing more with less today even with this increase."

This year's budget will result in the addition of eight patrol constables and two civilian positions business systems analyst and programmer analyst.

Members of the public came out to oppose the increase, citing concerns about policing in the city.

Some other speakers expressed their concern with plans to pay for carbine rifles for front-line police. Hagen said Saskatchewan is one of the last provinces in Canada to adopt the more modern long-barrelled weapons.

"It's a safer weapon. [It]affords more accuracy. And those weapons, quite frankly, we always hope our officers never have to use their weaponry," Hagen said. "But we know the world that we live in today. We've seen, unfortunately, some very horrific acts of shooter incidents in Canada. More prevalent in the United States, but certainly we've had some in Canada.

Read the full recommendation to city council here.