Expanding of the force’s sexual assault and child abuse unit is one of the reasons the Guelph Police Service is seeking a 5.69 per cent increase in its 2019 budget.
The Guelph Police Service Board approved the police budget and it will now go to Guelph City Council as part of its budget deliberations in the new year.
Last year’s increase was 3 per cent.
While most of the budget increase involves contractual and operating obligations, police are looking to add five full time employees to the force as part of a $491,000 expansion package.
That would bring the service's total staff, officers and civilian, to 302 people.
That expansion package accounts for 1.22 per cent of the requested budget increase.
Two of those would be in the sexual assault and child abuse (SACA) unit and two of them are in court services.
The police budget points out that the SACA unit has had a dedicated staff of four people since 2010 and increased demands are calling for increased staffing.
The same in court services, where increased court time has created a demand for two new court officers to meet security requirements.
City council begins budget presentations in January and will finalize the budget in early March.
