OPP contract increasing four per cent

BY KAREN BEST
January 24, 2007
Haldimand Review

Haldimand County's policing costs are estimated to increase by $377,000 this year.

Last week the Haldimand County police services board reviewed the estimated budget with county corporate services general manager Karen General. The OPP business and financial services bureau provided a $6.74-million estimate of costs.

General said OPP use provincial averages based on the number of officers to calculate operating costs. The same base officer cost is used in contracts across Ontario, she said.

However, the county may receive credits if costs are lower for overtime, provincial duties and wage settlements or estimates.

In the county, the OPP detachment has 60 officers but a small portion of their time is used for provincial duties such as highway patrols. Because this is provincially funded, a credit of $276,561 was automatically deducted from the $5.6-million officer wage and benefit costs for 2007.

Any officer time spent on the occupation of Douglas Creek Estates in Caledonia is not a county contract obligation, said General. This is a provincial responsibility, in the county's opinion, and a credit should be provided, she said.

At the end of March, the OPP will present the county with a reconciliation of actual and estimated costs for 2006. General said she is interested to see how DCE provincial usage is addressed.

In early January, OPP Commissioner Julian Fantino announced that 50 additional officers would be permanently assigned to the county detachment to increase personnel to handle the DCE situation. The province is covering $20 million in costs up to April.

"We need OPP to clarify what these additional officers mean to this contract," said General.

On Jan. 22, Haldimand County council passed a motion asking Fantino to provide a written statement on detachment expansion and the impact of this expansion on the county's contract.

Every year, county finance staff divide the estimated OPP costs into 12 payments which are typically estimated higher than actual costs. To avoid taxing residents for unbilled police costs, staff insert a lower, reasonable amount in the annual municipal budget.

On Jan. 15, Haldimand County council unanimously agreed to prepare a report on how they could review policing options and, if so desired, how they would seek bids from other forces. Council will review the report in April.

If a new contract with OPP is not negotiated, the existing agreement will expire on Sept. 30, 2008. To opt out of the contract earlier, Haldimand County must give OPP one year's written notice.