Vol 12, No. 8 Wednesday, February 24, 1982 20 Pages Attersley says 12% won't do.... Budget cuts could force police layoffs The Durham Regional Police Force could be forced tô lay-off staff because of the budget restraints placed on it by Durham Regional Council according to Mayor Bob Attersley. -Attersley, who serves as one of the region's two representatives on the Durham Regional Police Commission, said that it is even possi- ble that the commission could be forced to take its budget requests to the Ontario Police Commission for arbitra- tion. If that should happen, it will be the first time in Durham's eight year history that such an ac- tion was taken by the local commission. The Ontario Police Commi- ssion (OPC) is the provincially established governing body police forces and operates in a similar manner to the Ontario Municipal Board. The OPC has the legal authority to compel the region to provide more money for the force. It also has the power to compel the commission to meet Durham's guidelines. At last week's meet- ing of Durham Regional Council a 12 per cent budget increase was imposed upon the com- mission. Regional staff had originally recommend- ed a 14 per cent hike but cost conscious coun- cillors did not want to go that far. The 12 per cent ceiling was imposed on a motion by Regional Councillor Lawrence Malcolm (Scugog) who said he could not justify a 14 per cent police budget increase. "I don't even think 12 per cent is low enough," he said adding that he has received no com- plaints about the current level of police service. "I don't have people clamoring for more police protection," Mal- colm said. However, an-opposing view was heard from the region's other rep- resentative on the police commission, Regional Councillor Gerry Fisher (Pickering). Fisher pointed out that 92 per cent of the commission's budget was devoted to salaries, wages and benefits. Contract settlements with the force's various bargaining units, he ad- ded, "account for the biggest bite of the in- crease." "As far as I'm con- cerned, it's cut down as far as possible," he said of the budget. Fisher's sentiments were echoed by Atters- ley who told council that the commission has delayed the acquisition of new police vehicles and other needed equip- ment because of budget restraints. "YoU just can't keep delaying," Attersley said pointing out that the commission's only alternative.will be to lay-off staff. "We'll have to recommend lay-offs and that is what it's going to have to be," he said. Some councillors, most notably Diane Hamre of Newcastle, voted for the 12 per cent guideline but said they were willing to look at the ceiling again if the commission couldn't meet it. "If you can't meet the 12, you'll come back and tell us," she said adding "I have nothing but the highest praise (for the police) and the work that they do." "But we have to deal with the realities." Regional Councillor Ed Kolodzie (Oshawa) told council that police protection will cost $6,000 more per person in 1982. He pointed out that in 1976 the commission's net levy budget (that is, money raised directly from the property tax- payers) was $8.5 million. This year, the com- mission is seeking $19.5 million. "In a period of six years it has more than doubled, it is a 175 per cent increase," Kolod- zie said. In an interview last Friday morning, Atter- sley said he is con- cerned about the level of police service, espe- cially in Whitby, Ajax and Pickering which have experienced solid population growth over the last year. He pointed out that in Whitby alone there was a 6.9 per cent growth rate in 1981. "I'm not prepared to accrept a decrease in service in Whitby at the regional level," Atter- sley said. Attersley said that the 12 per cent budget guideline takes no con- sideration of the 12.6 per cent contractual settle- ments for 1982. "How the hell do you work with 12 per cent when you are commit- ted to 12.6 per cent (in an area that makes up) 92 per cent of your bud- get?"he said. Attersley says that the growth municipali- ties should not be pena- lized in the area of police service. "Why the hell should we have a decrease in service?" he asks when there is a growth in population. While Attersley fore- sees no major problems in meeting the original 14 per cent increase guideline, the com- mission will-still have to cut about $497,000 out of its budget. ' I don't see any problem with getting to the 14 per cent," he said adding that if the in- crease goes below that there will "have to be some kind of lay-off. And he further des- cribed such lay-offs as "assinine." Attersley is not con- cerned about the possi- ble political backlash against him if the local commission is forced to go to the OPC. "My obligation as a commissioner is to pro- vide adequate police service for the entire region," he said, "That's what I have to lookat." The mayor added that having a review before the OPC might not be a bad idea from the com- mission's viewpoint. "We'd been happy to review," he said. "I'm not too sure regional council would be happy with a review." The commission is due to meet regional council's finance com- mittee on March 9 to discuss the budget. Attersley said that "there might be a few surprises" at that time. --A