Kincardine hit with 16% increase in OPP contract
By Liz Dadson

Kincardine Council(continued)

Kincardine council has accepted a 16.63-per-cent increase in the contract it has with the OPP. This puts the 2009 cost for policing at $2.358 million for the Municipality of Kincardine.

In committee-of-the-whole last night (May 13), OPP sergeant Dino Tsitomeneas, contract analyst, presented the proposed five-year contract for the South Bruce OPP detachment which includes a 2.34-per-cent increase in salaries and benefits for 2009, 2.25 per cent in 2010, and two per cent in 2011. The final three years of the contract, including 2011, could be re-negotiated, he said, based on an increase to salaries and other expenses.

Tsitomeneas explained that the new agreement reflects not only higher wages, but also an increase to the cost for "other direct operating expenses." The previous contract was based on the 2001 formula of $16,199 per first-class constable. The 2008 formula is $29,454 per first-class constable. That money goes to pay for such things as vehicles, uniforms and equipment, office supplies, accommodation, and mobile radio maintenance.

In the contract, salaries and benefits total $2.1 million, plus operating expenses of $315,000, and a shared service fee of $4,000. Once the 'provincial service usage' of $135,000 is subtracted, the grand total is $2,358,190. Provincial usage includes situations when local officers are serving elsewhere and the municipality is compensated for that time.

Tsitomeneas said the OPP has been providing community-based policing for 100 years throughout Ontario and is currently under contract with 130 communities in the province. Kincardine's five-year contract with the South Bruce OPP expired April 30, 2009.

The OPP provides proactive and reactive policing 24 hours/day and seven days/week through general patrol, foot patrol, RIDE programs, community policing and school programs, said Tsitomeneas, and responds to calls received. Its main services are crime prevention, law enforcement, assistance to victims of crime, public order maintenance, and emergency response.

The workload has increased slightly to a total of 17.26 full-time equivalent uniformed officers, from 16.72; plus clerical of 1.25, down slightly from 1.33.

"I think the price is too high," said councillor Gordon Campbell. "We should be able to decrease the cost of the vehicles because the price of vehicles has gone down."
Deputy mayor Laura Haight asked how the cost compares to municipally-owned police forces, such as Saugeen Shores.

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14/05/2009 09:07 AM

"It is a lot of money," agreed councillor Kenneth Craig. "If we had any other budget come in with a 16-per-cent increase, we would try to see where we could cut costs. But the increase to wages and operating expenses is not surprising. The increase of officers on duty is based on the growth in this community which is what you would expect. What would Gord (Campbell) have us reduce?"

"We could do with one less officer," said Campbell, "if you want to give them a raise."
South Bruce OPP acting inspector Scott Smith challenged council to go to the Internet and check the policing resources guide for Canada. The officer-to-population ratios are available there. "In Kincardine, it's about one officer to 900 population," he said.

Smith outlined that the previous five-year contract had no significant increase over that time period. Meanwhile, costs for municipal police forces escalated by four to five per cent per year. So, the cumulative effect is hitting Kincardine all at once, he said.
"We are committed in this contract that if the price of gas or the price of vehicles decreases dramatically, that will be reflected in the costs," Smith said. "You will see that benefit."

He said the OPP contract also includes use of other services, such as the canine unit and the tactical squad. "You had the benefit of the tactical unit in March when you were dealing with a barricaded person in this municipality. The cost for salaries alone was $30,000.
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"Sixteen per cent on a $2-million contract is substantial," said councillor Ron Hewitt. "It will increase taxes significantly."

"Last year, we saw a $200,000 savings which is 10 per cent off the cost," said mayor Larry Kraemer. "We have a contract based on the high end of costs."

Wilson told council that the police services board has endorsed the contract, saying it is good value for the money spent.

Council agreed, and a bylaw will be brought forward in June. The new contract would be retroactive to May 1.