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Months after London city council approved a record-setting budget request for London police, the force is reducing the impact on taxpayers by tapping a reserve fund.
The seven-member police board unanimously approved a request Thursday to draw $850,000 from a reserve fund to reduce the impact of the police operating budget while not affecting the delivery of service.
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“While we are steadfast in our commitment to deliver effective and efficient policing services for our city, when it is possible to do so without adversely impacting service levels or compromising police operations, we will always be open to exploring what we can do to mitigate the . . . impact on taxpayers,” board chair Ali Chahbar said.
The move will reduce next year’s operating budget to $181,693,679.
London police keep a reserve fund to pay for unforeseen costs, one-time anticipated revenue losses and other expenses that lead to budget deficits or fluctuations.
Mayor Josh Morgan praised police leadership and his fellow board members, saying the money-saving effort is “exactly what we expect of other boards and commissions with the tax dollars we give them as well.”
Board member Ryan Gauss said he supported the motion to tap the reserve fund because it won’t affect public safety.
“I won’t sacrifice on public safety – not one cent,” Gauss said. “This is a long-term plan to get this organization back on track.”
City council approved the four-year, $672-million police budget earlier this year, including a 28 per cent increase in spending this year.
The city’s four-year budget includes tax increases, starting with an 8.7 boost this year followed by increases of 8.7 per cent in 2025, 5.7 per cent in 2026 and 6.7 per cent in 2027. More than half of the 2024 tax increase was driven by the police budget that includes hiring 189 officers and civilian staffers, building a new training centre and outfitting all frontline officers with body cameras.
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