'I told you so': Police association says rise in crime tied to amount in budget

The president of a professional organization that represents officers in Winnipeg says there's a "direct correlation" between a rise in violent crime and the amount of funding the police service received in this year's budget.

Winnipeg police released statistics on Monday that suggested there was an eight per cent rise in violent crimes in 2016 compared with 2015. 

"Not one to be one to say, 'I told you so,' because it is a definite negative for the city of Winnipeg, but that is the result we are seeing now," Moe Sabourin, president of the Winnipeg Police Association, said Tuesday.

Sabourin complained in May that the 1.3 per cent increase in 2017 budget wasn't enough and would harm the force's ability to train officers. On Tuesday, he pointed to violent crime as a result.

"We're seeing an increase [in crime] but at the same time we're seeing decreases in the budget, and we've told the mayor and city council that criminals do not plan their activities based on the rate of inflation."

He said that the funding, which fell short of the service's expectations, has had a real impact on officers' ability to combat crime.

"Our officers are stretched right to the max as a result of the budget cuts that we saw the past couple years, with a decrease in overtime and reorganization in the service," Sabourin said, adding he appreciates changes Chief Danny Smyth has made to ensure resources are directed where they're needed most.

"But having said that, the calls for service continue to increase at an alarming rate and our members just can't keep up. There is no time for patrolling — it is going from call to call to call, and unfortunately that is going to increase."

Smyth's predecessor, Devon Clunis, said in March 2016 that requested increases for the Winnipeg Police Service budget were "not sustainable." 

Statistics Canada data also released Monday showed Winnipeg's crime severity index, which charts the severity and volume of crime, rose by 16 per cent. That rise was attributed to an increase in break-ins and robberies.

The majority of crime increases have been for arguably less severe if not also serious offences, Sabourin says, including theft and mischief "where the impact to victims is usually minimal."

What's of the utmost concern is the increase in violent crime and how that's changed the nature of the job for police, Sabourin said.

He hopes Bowman and city councillors keep the increases in violent crime top of mind as they begin to craft the next budget.

"Officers that are responding to calls are saying they've never seen this level of violence in the calls they are responding to, whether it's the robberies, the sexual assaults — it is staggering," he said. "It is very unfortunate for Winnipeg because it's giving us a black eye."

CBC News asked the city for a response to Sabourin's comments, but has yet to hear back.