Police board to hold public consultation on HRP budget

Councillor and police board commissioner Lindell Smith says he’d like to see public budget consultations become the norm at the police board level

CITYnews halifax \ Mark Hodgins

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A Halifax councillor and police commissioner says getting the public’s input on HRP’s budget should be happening at the police board level. 

The board earlier this week made the decision to do just that, and will engage in public consultation before sending the police budget off to regional council for final approval.

“When we do our council budget, the public always has an opportunity to speak about any aspect of the budget,” said Lindell Smith. “For me, I always have thought and wanted to have the same type of engagement at the police commission.”

Halifax Regional Police is asking has proposed a budget of $90.8 million for 2022/23. That’s an increase of more than $2 million with the extra money to be used to hire more than two dozen new positions including officers, according to chief Dan Kinsella.

Media reports indicate the virtual public engagement will happen within the next two weeks. Kinsella is expected to present the budget to council in late February.

Smith says he’s hopeful public engagement on budgets will happen at the police board level moving forward.