Sudbury police to talk budgets at national conference

Greater Sudbury Police Chief Paul Pedersen is looking for ways to cut back on policing costs.

Pederson along with a many other officers will be sharing those ideas at the annual meeting of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police in Victoria, B.C. this week.

When Pederson was sworn in as police chief this spring he said that tackling the budget concerns would be his priority.

This conference will be a chance to address the problems with other chiefs.

“It can’t keep escalating at the rate it’s escalating,” he said, adding that policing in Sudbury currently costs too many tax dollars. 

Sudbury Mayor Marianne Matichuk said it's time for police to think outside the box.

"If we start looking at how we can do things a little differently, at the end of the day it's going to save tax dollars,” Matichuk said.

Pedersen said he's looking at ways to restructure the police service and make the department more efficient.

“Administrative functions, do they really have to be performed by an officer that has a gun, has a taser, has pepper spray or are we better served by another professional with expertise in that area,” he said.

The 109th annual conference of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police runs until Wednesday Aug. 27.