Chatham-Kent police say they're continuing to work through the constraints of dealing with unionized employees.
The CK Police Service has approached council with a budget that calls for a 1.76% increase from 2015, putting the final number at $30,158,826.
Chief Gary Conn handed over a budget that includes its fair share of cuts and new expenses. Tacked onto the budget is a new gun range, as well as $21,000 in investigative support for their tech unit.
A total of 88% of the police service's budget goes towards salaries and benefits. Conn says this is a reality that comes with having a unionized workforce.
"Unfortunately it ties our hands immensely. It only leaves me with 10% wiggle room that I can negotiate with for administration, fleet and operating costs," he says.
Conn adds they're negotiating with the police associations "aggressively" to reach a new deal.
On the other side, the province is helping with $1.6-million in funding, and the CKPS is also adjusting its organizational structure to save money. Normally, four staff-sergeants oversee the service's four platoons. Starting next week, Conn says these positions will be reduced into two new "watch commander" roles.
"They become possessive in their one platoon. By going down from four to two, it's going to force the two staff-sergeants to gain ownership of all their platoons, it's no longer just their one fiefdom," says Conn.
Conn stressed the only staffing impact will be the removal of one middle-management position through attrition. A new police drone is not being included in the budget, and will instead be financed either through reserves or potential funding from higher levels of government over the next couple years.
Chatham-Kent Council was in closed session for most of Wednesday, and have yet to approve the police budget.