'You have to pay the people' — mayor justifies proposed 7.1% increase to Windsor police operating budget

A proposed increase to the Windsor police operating budget for 2025 now stands at 7.1 per cent — slightly less than the 7.9 per cent increase that was originally sought in a police finance report.

The adjustment was reached in a special meeting of the Windsor Police Services Board on Wednesday.

Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens, who chairs the board, said the proposed increase was modified through careful examination of elements such as requested positions and operational efficiencies.

"The board — going through pretty much a line-by-line review — looked at what could be removed from the budget and had a discussion with the police executive and came to a conclusion," the mayor told reporters.

But the 7.1 per cent increase still represents significant growth of the Windsor police operating budget — higher than the 4.5 per cent increase that was provided between 2023 and 2024.

Dilkens reiterated the explanation of the finance report: That the main driver of the increase is higher salary costs.

"Most of it is related to negotiated salary and wage increases, and benefit costs," the mayor said. "That's something you really can't get away from unless you want to actually start reducing bodies at the Windsor Police Service."

"We're happy with the men and women here. We're happy with the job they're doing, and we want to support those elements. But you have to pay the people and give them their benefits. There's a cost to doing that, and we've seen some exceptional costs this particular year."

The original 7.9 per cent increase would have resulted in an additional $8.2 million for Windsor police, bringing the service's total operating budget for 2025 to $111.79 million.

Dilkens said the exact calculations on the 7.1 per cent increase have yet to be done, but it will likely have a 1.5 per cent impact on the overall city budget.

"Policing is an expensive service. It's one of the biggest services that we deliver in the city," Dilkens said. "We certainly want to make sure the community is safe and secure."

Approval for the proposed police operating budget will be decided by Windsor city council during its budget deliberations in January.

Meanwhile, board member and Ward 6 councillor Jo-Anne Gignac suggested asking OPP how much it would cost them if they were to provide policing for the city.

"The impact of the number that we're working with today... is very concerning," Gignac told the board.

Looking at the comparative costs of OPP would "allow the community to understand the significant increases that we're seeing."

Gignac's motion passed. But Dilkens emphasized that such a request to OPP does not indicate Windsor is seeking regional policing.

The mayor said the board is only asking for information purposes, "to make sure that we have some benchmark" that Windsor police costs are "in the realm of reasonableness."

"I think it's right every once in a while to say, 'Are we operating as efficiently and effectively as we can?' And the only real place that can tell us that is the OPP, who provide policing across our province," Dilkens said.