'You wouldn’t find a single Londoner that feels safer': London police make case for record budget increase

It was billed a technical briefing for the media, but it’s a message clearly intended for the 15 people who will be voting on the request for record police budget increase: London city council members.

Surrounded by members of the London Police Services Board and senior police service leadership, London Police Chief Thai Truong and Board Chair Ali Chahbar laid out the challenges facing the police service on Tuesday.

They noted the city’s unprecedented population growth, the social challenges many communities are facing (centred primarily on addictions, mental health and homelessness) and the rise in violent crime.

Chahbar said it boils down to one question.

“Do they feel safer today or did they feel safer five, 10 years ago? You wouldn't find a single Londoner that feels safer in London today than they did five years ago,” he said.

London is the fastest growing city in the province. That's resulted in the city now having one police officer for every 679 residents. The chief said that’s compared that to one-to-650 in Guelph and one-to-521 in Brantford.

It's the rise in violent crimes that he finds most concerning, including 27 shooting incidents last year.

"When I see a city going from single-digit to double-digit shootings in a few years, that's a concerning trend,” he said.

A London police Services officer is seen on Dundas Street in downtown London, Ont. in this undated file image. (File)Truong told those gathered that has become the third most dangerous when measured against the 12 largest communities.

The police service is asking for additional 189 positions, including 97 new officers. There will be updated technology and new operational strategies, like the use of investigative teams to free up front-line officers,

"Those officers who initially responded will get back on the street and they will respond to any emergency call that arises,” he said.

What has been dubbed the “Safer City Now” strategy will result in a police budget jump of almost 17 per cent next year. It’s an ask that comes at a time when people are already facing massive cost of living increases.

Still, it's one Mayor Josh Morgan believes the public will support.

"People are saying that they don't feel safe in the city, that response times aren't great, that they're tired of hearing street racing, that they're tired of hearing about a neighbour whose house or car has been broken into,” he said.

Morgan is one of three city council members who sit on the police services board that unanimously approved the budget. Chahbar is now looking for their council colleagues to do the same.

"We have a month that will truly impact the trajectory of this city not just for few years but generationally speaking. So yes, 15 votes on council, crucially important,” he said.

The budget deliberations get underway on Feb. 1.