Ottawa police log $3.3M overtime deficit in 2016

An unusually high number of shootings and homicides in Ottawa last year contributed to a $3.3-million overtime deficit for 2016, according to the police chief.

The revelation comes in Chief Charles Bordeleau's fourth quarter financial report, which will be tabled at a meeting of the Ottawa Police Services Board on Monday.

In the July, the force had estimated it would spend about $2 million in overtime. At that time there had been nine homicides and 33 shootings.

The year eventually ended with 24 homicides and 68 shootings, according to the report, which led to a lot of overtime in the force's investigative units.

Overall deficit of $6.4M

"The Hells Angels Canada Run also created a large pressure on overtime, but the overriding pressure was due to staff shortages throughout the organization," the financial report reads.

Overall, the force ended 2016 with a $6.4 million deficit.

Collision reporting centres were expected to sell 55 per cent of all collision reports filed, but in the end, closer to 15 per cent of them were sold, creating a revenue shortfall of about $1 million.

As well, new compensation guidelines for post-traumatic-stress disorder resulted in $400,000 in claims, vehicle maintenance costs increased, insurance claims — along with other costs — contributed to the rest of the deficit.