The Moose Jaw Board of Police Commissioners passed the 2021-2025 capital budget and 2021 operating budget during their meeting on Tuesday. 

The budgets will now be sent to city council for final approval during budget deliberations. 

The operating budget is estimating expenditures of $12.2 million and revenues of $1.5 million. The total budget is $10.7 million, an increase of $565,000 or 5.58 per cent from 2020. 

Currently, the police service receives financial services from the City of Moose Jaw at no cost. The 2021 operating budget includes $217,000 for the police service's share of the financial services. While that cost would increase the police budget, it would decrease the city’s operating budget by the same amount. 

The 2021 operating budget would also support hiring two new officers by July of 2021. 

“The board has currently authorized 59 police officer positions and this would move that to 61 positions in 2021,” said Chief Rick Bourassa.  

“If approved, those positions would be filled in July, and assuming they are filled by someone who isn't experienced, those two officers would go to the Saskatchewan Police College and be back here policing in January of 2022.” 

The hiring would include a second officer for preventing, detecting, and investigating child abuse and child sexual exploitation and an officer for preventing, disrupting, and enforcing laws to reduce illegal gangs, guns, and drugs. 

The 2021-2025 capital budget was passed at $70,000 in 2021 and increasing by $2,500 each year through to 2025. 

Bourassa highlighted several upcoming and ongoing projects funded through the capital budget including: 

  • Elevator replacement 
  • Relocation of the meeting room to the public area 
  • Converting the darkroom to file storage 
  • Upgrading the conference room 
  • Upgrading flags and moving the memorial area outside
  • A new backstop for the firearms range 

The police and the City of Moose Jaw share several building infrastructure components. The city made the police board aware that the air conditioning system needs replacing in 2021 at a cost of $380,000 for the police service’s share of the bill. 

“The $380,000 for the replacement of air conditioning was kind of a surprise for us, and I think we've heard about this just at our last meeting, so that's a city driven initiative,” said Commissioner Heather Eby. 

The $380,000 was added to the capital funding request. 

In total, the police service has budgeted $755,000 over the next five years for the capital budget.