Windsor Police Services Board approves budget increase of 7.1 per cent

The Windsor Police Services Board approved a budget increase of 7.1 per cent.

The board was asked by city hall to come in with a budget at 2024 levels.

“So the board approved a budget increase for police, both operating and capital at 7.1 per cent higher than the 2024 budget and the vast majority of the increase is related to negotiated salary and wage increases and benefit costs,” said board chair Drew Dilkens.

Dilkens says it works out to an increase of a little over $7 million in 2025.

He says they are contractually obligated to pay as well training expenses and inflationary pressures.

“The board considered all the different elements, there were some positions that were being requested that the board did not approve,” he said. “There were some other positions that we looked at internally, and operational efficiencies. And so the board went through pretty much a line by line review, looked at what could be removed from the budget and had a discussion with the police executive and came to a conclusion.”

The budget goes to city council next.

“What city council can't do is go through and extract, certain elements or projects. They can just do a global reduction,” said Dilkens. “They may say, take another million dollars off the budget, and then it would be up to the police board and the police administration to figure out how that works out.”