The Victoria Police Department took to Twitter during last nightB次元官网网址檚 budget town hall to defend its call for a six per cent increase to the cityB次元官网网址檚 policing budget and its role in overdose prevention.

In November, the department requested over $57 million for their 2019 budget from Victoria and Esquimalt B次元官网网址� a $3 million increase that would fund the hiring request of additional police officers B次元官网网址� 12 new staff members, who would come in over the next three years B次元官网网址� as well as operating costs and adjustments for new policies. The proposed police budget amounts to a 1.22 per cent increase to property taxes.

The provisional budget carries over the request for six officers .

VicPDB次元官网网址檚 tweets followed comments from speaker Kim Mackenzie, who urged the city to put the money requested by police towards community-based solutions and harm reduction.

B次元官网网址淭his city is the most over-policed city in Canada,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淥ver-policing is hurting our marginalized communities.B次元官网网址�

Police took to Twitter during the meeting saying: B次元官网网址淚t is not just crime trends you should look at when talking about our budget. Calls for service, complexity of investigations as well as a lack of increase to our strength in 8 yrs [sic], a period that has seen significant growth in the population of our jurisdiction.B次元官网网址�

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Our request for 4 officers to work on a Community Response Team will allow for an increased presence in Downtown , and will promote and enhance public safety downtown.

B次元官网网址� Victoria Police (@vicpdcanada)

It is not just crime trends you should look at when talking about our budget. Calls for service, complexity of investigations as well as a lack of increase to our strength in 8 yrs, a period that has seen significant growth in the population of our jurisdiction

B次元官网网址� Victoria Police (@vicpdcanada)

During her time at the mic, Mackenzie said policing has too much power in society and asked council to explore other options.

B次元官网网址淎lternatives to policing not only reduce the harms inherent in our law enforcement, they eliminate the extreme imbalance of power between police and marginalized citizens who experience criminalization,B次元官网网址� she claimed. B次元官网网址淲e need to start thinking about alternatives that are more cost-effective and better for our community.B次元官网网址�

Mackenzie isnB次元官网网址檛 the only critic of the VicPDB次元官网网址檚 request for funding.

Marilou Gagnon, whose Twitter profile says she is the president of the Harm Reduction Nurses Association, tweeted to police that they should not be responding to overdose calls B次元官网网址� something she said increases VicPD workload and deters drug users from calling 9-1-1.

One way to address the "fact" that cops are overworked and overstretched is to look at ways of removing them from situations that don't require police interventions in the first place - the answer is not more cops.

B次元官网网址� Marilou Gagnon RNPhD (@mlgagnon_XVII)

One way to reduce the workload of cops in : Don't send them to 911 calls when someone overdoses. There is no reason to send cops on these health emergency calls. We had to create a law in Canada because ppl were so fearful of calling 911 due to the cops.

B次元官网网址� Marilou Gagnon RNPhD (@mlgagnon_XVII)

VicPD spokesperson Const. Matt Rutherford said the police forceB次元官网网址檚 priority is saving lives.

B次元官网网址淚nitially when the crisis began we were attending these calls, but it was quickly determined that it was a health crisis.,B次元官网网址� he told Black Press. B次元官网网址淲e are not the primary responder to overdose calls B次元官网网址� itB次元官网网址檚 the B.C. ambulance service.B次元官网网址�

Still, some officers are equipped with Naloxone, Rutherford said, adding that officers are dispatched when they are closer to the overdose call.

B次元官网网址淚f weB次元官网网址檙e close to somebody whoB次元官网网址檚 dying weB次元官网网址檙e going to try to assist them,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淥ur role is saving lives. As police officers we have a common law duty to protect life and property.B次元官网网址�

Rutherford addressed concerns that police make arrests at overdose scenes B次元官网网址� something critics say deters drug users from calling for help.

B次元官网网址淚 think thereB次元官网网址檚 a common goal to save peopleB次元官网网址檚 lives, as itB次元官网网址檚 a health issue, not a criminal issue,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭here needs to be more working together to come up with solutions [rather] than debating police attendance to these calls.B次元官网网址�

We attend these types of calls to try and save peoples lives. Sometimes we're closer than other first responders. With our officers carrying naloxone, we've saved dozens of lives. I think that is worth it.

B次元官网网址� Victoria Police (@vicpdcanada)

With files from Nicole Crescenzi.