It's time to reinvest in policing and restore public safety in Calgary
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One of the answers lies in the quiet erosion of police funding. Over the past 10 years, councils and commissions have been defunding the police. Calgary's 'cop-to-pop' ratio has not kept up with the city's growth.
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In fact, the last council, which included mayoral candidates Jyoti Gondek and Jeromy Farkas, oversaw the closure of the Victoria Park police station. We haven't seen a new station since one opened in Saddle Ridge in 2010.
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According to 2023 Statistics Canada data, Calgary is among the country's least protected major cities, with 153.1 officers per 100,000 residents. The national average is 178.2. In 2024, the ratio slipped further to 147.7.
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Recently, the City of Calgary warned Calgarians of an increase in residential break and enters. More than 20 cars have been reported as stolen due to the break and enters in the past few weeks.
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Every Calgarian deserves to feel safe in their community. City council has a duty to deliver on that promise by investing in police, fire, bylaw and peace officer services. It starts by making protective services a priority once more.
The solution lies in rebuilding a strong, well-resourced and accountable police service. Public safety depends on a police service that reflects the scale and needs of our city. To reach the national average, Calgary must add an estimated 487 officers to the force.
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We know the city budget is tight. We also know there is an opportunity to focus on realigning spending by scrutinizing every line of the budget. We need to start budgeting with clarity and purpose.
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That means asking: What would this pay for in protective services? More officers? More firefighters? A new station?
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Budgets reflect priorities, and public safety is a priority for many Calgarians. Given the scale of the challenge, reaching this goal will likely take two full four-year budget cycles.
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While council is legally prohibited from directing the police chief or commission on operational matters, a necessary safeguard to prevent political interference in policing, it still holds significant influence. Council appoints members to the Calgary police commission and controls the service's budget. That influence must be used wisely.
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