VPD seeing red over Occupy Vancouver
Posted Oct 19, 2011 08:32:53 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – For the first time in seven years, the Vancouver Police Department may be facing a deficit.
The VPD blames the Occupy Vancouver movement, another incurred cost on top of this year’s hockey live sites and Stanley Cup Riot.
Tom Stamatakis with the Vancouver Police Union calls it an unexpected expense, “Without much time left in this current, budget year to try and see where funding can be reallocated to mitigate the cost of this event.”
He points out Vancouver Police have no choice but to pay any overtime or other costs related to the protest in order to keep the public safe.
“That is the reality of policing major cities, that are likely going to be the sites of large, active protests.”
Stamatakis isn’t shocked by the potential deficit, pointing out it’s been a busy year for police. He says hockey live site games and the Stanley Cup Riot had already stretched the department’s budget thin but there may be a city contingency fund to lighten the blow.
“There are contingencies that are established within the police budget and there are also contingency funds that are established by the mayor, council and city manager at City Hall,” he points out. “It depends on how many unexpected events we had and how many other departments within the city are competing for the contingencies.”
He feels the deficit concerns shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone given criticism over police resources during the riot.
