Calgary may have to go without more police officers if city council continues its stance on the police budget, since the Alberta government could cut their funding in turn.
The province is in its last year of a three-year program to fund policing across Alberta, with 41 officers to be funded this fiscal year in Calgary, but that money is only available to cities with a fully staffed force already.
“For this program, the municipality has to be at full authorized strength,” said Christine Nardella with the Alberta solicitor general’s office.
“We’ll have to see what happens.”
If the City of Calgary cuts its budget for cops, the police the province are funding will have to go as well, since they were meant to bolster the police service, not replace current levels, she said.
Ald. John Mar hopes the threat of having to cut more than 150 officers will make council rethink its previous decision.
“If I was on the fence it would certainly have an impact on me.”
