Alderman fights for police funding
Posted Jul 7, 2010 11:11 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
At least one alderman isn’t ready to accept city council’s decision on not securing next year’s police budget.
The tight vote of 8-7 happened Monday, which could result in $15-million being slashed from police funding.
That may mean the loss of 120 current and future positions.
The Calgary Police Commission is facing the issue with an emergency meeting Wednesday afternoon
They’ll talk strategy on how best to deal with what some are calling a crisis.
Alderman John Mar, who sits on the Commission, is launching a fight to get council to change its mind.
He says he won’t quit until he’s run out of options.
Mar tells 660News he’s going to start by trying to change the minds of some people on council so they can revisit the decision in their final two meetings.
“Is there a way that we can move together and try to speak to different members of council to see if there’s a way that we can get this back before council in the last two sessions to change their minds,” says Mar.
He’ll be lobbying other aldermen, arguing that the savings can be found elsewhere and that funding for public safety should stay on par.
“This is a priority for Calgarians. The number one priority of any government is always going to be the safety of its citizens.”
If he can’t make headway now, Mar promises to continue his efforts with the new council being chosen in the fall.
He says public safety is the top priority in Calgary and we can’t afford to be scrimping and saving when it comes to policing.
