With Vancouver poised to set its 2025 budget, top police brass are touting a year-over-year decrease in crime as evidence that increased funding for the department under Mayor Ken Sim and his council is paying off.
But research suggests the relationship between police budgets and crime rates isn’t quite that simple.
A draft budget is coming to council this week, proposing a $10.1 million increase to the Vancouver Police Department’s budget – bringing the total to just over $421.45 million, representing a property tax increase of 0.85 per cent.
“That is not an adequate increase to meet the demands that we’re facing in the department,” Chief Const. Adam Palmer told the police board at a meeting last month.
“They’re looking at more of a ‘keep the lights on’ type budget, whereas we have things that we do have to address that are significantly important.”
‘Investments in public safety’
The police, after getting the board’s …