Vernon RCMP & Fire Services seeking increased budgets in 2024

Dec 4, 2023 | 4:00 PM

Protective services in Vernon are looking for budget increases in 2024.

At the special budget meeting Monday, Dec.4, council received breakdowns for the Vernon North Okanagan RCMP and Vernon Fire Rescue Services budgets, both of which asked for increased funding.

RCMP Supt. Shawna Baher requested the policing budget be increased to $12,721,085 for the 58 member detachment in 2024, marking a 6.78 per cent annual increase.

“When you see a police officer walking the streets of your community, you’re funding that person for approximately $231,000 right now,” Baher told council.

“That doesn’t mean that’s the wage that the person is getting, that’s the all-in cost. That’s the car, that’s the pistol on their belt, that’s the cop running their car, that’s the communication system, that’s the vest that they wear and the equipment they carry. So these costs are all inclusive.”

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She added these costs also include officer and police dog training, as well as retrofitting and maintaining the detachment.

Baher added the increased budget would account for hiring two new officers to fill the roles in the Mobile Integrated Crisis Response Team, which are currently filled by a part-time officer and a constable who had been removed from regular duties to respond to mental health and addiction calls with the psychiatric nurses, who are funded through Interior Health.

Vernon’s top cop noted that while the crisis team has responded to a few calls in Coldstream since launching in mid-November, the work is primarily focused in Vernon and will remain that way until agreements with other area municipalities can be established.

Fire chief David Lind requested that its budget be increased by 9.43 per cent to $8,670,017 in 2024.

“The 2024 budget, as presented, is requesting to sustain service delivery and maintain momentum in the environment of recent demands for service and community growth,” Lind told council.

He noted the requested budget increase of $746,984 was inclusive of the pre-approved increase made during the 2023 budget process, including funding for the a new deputy chief and four firefighter positions.

The operations increases outside those pre-approved ones were salary increases, fleet upgrades and maintenance, and general increases to the costs of goods and materials.

Lind also had several specific changes to the request for consideration.

Two requests, involving the purchase of a new vehicle and buying specialized suppression equipment for fires in electric vehicles, were previously approved by council and would be funded through reserves.

Vernon Fire Rescue also requested that a FireSmart coordinator remain funded through taxation, and that tax dollars be used for a vehicle operating component.

Council accepted the service level adjustment increases, as well as the proposed changes brought forward by Lind, and supported them in principle pending further discussions at the special meeting Monday.

by Liam Verster

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