Hamilton Police Project $1.6-Million Surplus for 2020 – TPR Hamilton | Hamilton's Civic Affairs News Site

February 22, 2021
Hamilton’s Police Service is projecting a $1.6-million fiscal surplus for 2020, which the HPS attributes to significantly lower than average retirements, decreased training due to COVID physical distancing requirements, and decreased use of fuel, utilities, and supplies.
HPS budget surpluses were subject of a recent debate at Hamilton City Council. Ward 3 Councillor Nrinder Nann moved to have the surpluses returned to City Hall and placed into reserve to be spent on community services and housing. The motion failed 2-11.
The current policy is that HPS surpluses are placed into a reserve account maintained by the Police Board to cover future years with potential deficits. In practice, the reserve account grows in size and is drawn from for police capital projects such as the recently constructed Investigation Services Building in Downtown Hamilton and the planned future police station in Waterdown.
Only 25 Hamilton Police members retired in 2020, “less than half of the previous two years”. The result is the HPS spend $500,000 less in sick bank payout than forecast. This portion of the surplus should be placed into the sick bank reserve. HPS has a sick bank liability of approximately $24-million with $6.7-million in the sick bank reserve.
“As a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic, annual training and conferences were postponed or cancelled. While the Service was hopeful to conduct some of its training in the fourth quarter, COVID-19 lockdowns did not allow for this to occur”.
The price of fuel was lower than forecast in 2020.
“Mostly attributed to the delay in opening the new Investigative Services Building”
HPS did not fill many civilian vacancies during the first months of COVID
The HPS’s spending in these areas were decreased due to COVID.
HPS is spending more on legal expenses than forecast