Waterloo region residents weigh in about crime and policing amid council approval of police budget

Jennifer Adams moderates a Facebook group called "Cop Watch Waterloo Region," and says that she's been victim of many crimes in the region, including theft and an attempt to topple over her mobility chair.

Despite that, she says she feels that things are safer now in her community.

Adams attributes the change in downtown Kitchener to the "arrival of [Staff Sgt. Brenna Bonn] at central division."

"She is very clear and has a philosophy of customer service," Adams told CBC News. 

"There are excellent police officers, no question about it. They're in the minority, no question about it," she claimed. 

CBC Kitchener-Waterloo spoke to people in downtown Kitchener about policing and crime just as regional council is set to approve its 2023 budget, which includes the policing budget. 

The Waterloo Regional Police Service (WRPS) board approved a nearly $214 million budget, which is up by about $18 million from last year. The amount sparked debate among council, and they were subsequently divided on the issue when it came down to a vote on whether to send the budget back to the police board for further cuts.  

Council is expected to approve the final budget Wednesday night.

Adams said she could see herself agreeing to the $214 million proposed police budget but with conditions.

"I would not object to it at all if downtown was safe," Adams said. "If everyone was treated respectfully."

'Solving the root issue'

Kai Wong Nguyen, a University of Waterloo student, said he feels "relatively safe" in the region — particularly in downtown Kitchener and on campus.  

"It's very selective spots that I can feel safe," Wong Nguyen explained. "And there are selective spots that can be a little more iffy, especially, obviously, when it gets darker." 

For the issues he's seeing around the region, he doesn't necessarily think that more policing is the solution.

"I'm always one to think … not more discipline but more solving the root issue," he said. 

'Two shifts'

Kitchener resident Windsor Viney said that if he was rating how safe he felt in the city, he'd give it a seven out of 10. 

"It's because downtown Kitchener has what I refer to — I hope charitably — two shifts," he said. "There's the daytime shift when people who are working in businesses are here and then there's the nighttime shift when there are people who have many kinds of problems."  

He said that he isn't surprised by the police budget increase by about $18 million from last year.

"I think it would be my general impression that more people in Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge would be happier with more police than would not be happy with it," he said.

"It's not always clear that just having more police is going to help the kinds of problems that I do see here."

'Police are great'

John Robert Woods said he thinks "the police are great here," explaining that "they help people out, they make sure nothing gets stolen, and they do a good job." 

Woods is a part of Kitchener's homeless population and said he stays at the former shelter on King Street in the former Schwaben Club. 

He doesn't always feel safe in the city, he said, but thinks that more police officers would make the region safer.