New Westminster police are expecting to spend $966,500 more in 2020 than in 2019, according to budget documents approved by the police board.
The approval of the documents by the board does not finalize the budget, however – the proposal will be incorporated into city council’s budget process for final approval, where changes can ultimately be made.
In total, the department is expecting to spend shy of $26.5 million next year, according to the budget, which noted about $25.5 million in spending for 2019.
The bulk of the extra spending comes from salaries and benefits, according to the budget document, presented to police board with little comment this month. In that category, the New Westminster Police Department anticipates an increase in spending by nearly $1.2 million.
That includes provisions in employee contracts, an increase in seconded positions (officers working in other areas, like regional or provincial forces) and adjustments in standby pay and auxiliary wages.
The salaries for seconded positions, the budget document notes, is fully recoverable by the police force.
The NWPD also anticipates a $96,500 increase in spending on third-party contracts, such as the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team, integrated K-9 and E-Comm 911 dispatch. An additional $41,000 will also be transferred from the police budget to the fire department for emergency social services.
Finally, education and training costs are expected to increase by $25,000 for provincially mandated major crime courses.
The increase in spending also accounts for a $41,000 decrease in unspecified “other costs” and a $307,000 increase in revenues to nearly $6 million.
The 2020 budget also accounts for about $300,000 in capital spending next year, including a $100,000 upgrade to the NWPD’s backup servers, $80,000 in renovations to the department, $40,000 for photocopiers and $80,000 in replacement of police weapons and equipment.
Capital spending between 2020 and 2024 is expected to total around $1.04 million.
