400 new officers needed, Edmonton police commission says

Edmonton’s police commission is looking for more money to hire hundreds of new recruits, which it says are needed to keep pace with the city’s booming population.

The commission is looking to hire 400 new officers over the next four years, which would be a 17-per-cent increase in the size of the Edmonton Police Service.

The request will likely come with a hefty cost: while the final price tag for all the officers isn’t yet available, the commission is looking for an extra $15.4 million in the first year alone. That’s more than 60 per cent more than the increase it was originally planning to ask for.  

Commission members argued that projects such as the downtown arena district and expanded LRT system mean more work for the police force.

City Coun. Scott McKeen said the city has to ensure good police service for a growing population.

“We want to make sure, if we're building all this new housing downtown, the residential condos that are going in, we want those people to enjoy the downtown, so you've got to have proper security and policing,” he said.

Still, McKeen said he wasn’t sure if he would support the request. He said the EPS is not only responsible for city residents, but also for those visiting Edmonton, and hopes the province might bear some of the extra costs.

The request goes before council’s community services committee Monday.