HAMILTON - Hamilton will receive seven new police officers as part of Ontario's share of the federal Police Officers Recruitment Fund that will put up to 329 new police officers in Ontario communities. For Hamilton, this represents $490,000 each year for the duration of the five-year plan.
As part of a commitment in 2006, the federal government pledged to put 2,500 new officers on Canadian streets. The funding ultimately provided falls roughly 70 per cent short of that original commitment. Ontario will continue its campaign to receive its fair share of funding.
The province will receive $156 million in federal funding over five years to hire more officers as its share of the federal commitment of $400 million for all of Canada.
Under the province's five-year plan:
- $78 million will go to employing 125 new Ontario Provincial Police officers
- $58 million will help municipal police services hire up to 164 new officers
- $20 million will fund 40 new police officers for First Nations police services.
QUOTES
"These officers will help make sure our community is a safer place," said Sophia Aggelonitis, MPP for the Hamilton Mountain. "We will continue to pressure Ottawa to permanently and fully fund the additional police officers."
“This investment ensures our province is safer and we will continue to give police the resources they need to do their job and make Ontario safer, healthier and more prosperous.” said Hon.Ted McMeekin, MPP, Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Westdale.
“Our community welcomes this announcement,” said Police Chief Brian Mullan. “It will allow Hamilton Police to put more officers on the beat, and be even more effective in responding to the needs of our citizens.”
“Providing an excellent quality of life for the people of Hamilton and keeping them safe is of paramount importance,” adds Mayor Fred Eisenberger. “We are very grateful to the Government of Ontario for its continued investment in our local police services in the City of Hamilton.”
QUICK FACTS
The McGuinty government has committed $68 million in annual funding, to help municipalities employ more than 2,000 police officers.
In 2007, the McGuinty government announced an increase of 200 additional officers for the Ontario Provincial Police to keep Ontario communities safe.