As the budget process continues, Moose Jaw Police Chief Rick Bourassa has presented his request for 2018. Coming in with a 1.35% budget increase request, Bourassa says they'll need around $9.5 million to do their job this year.

"We're always fairly careful with our budgeting process to make sure that we're responsible and very efficient and so we were able to come in with what I think is a fairly lean budget decision."

Bourassa says they've seen an increase in property crime in recent years, such as theft from vehicles and that's putting a larger work load on officers.  There's also been an increase in violent crime and those are statistics they'll be looking at trying to reduce in 2018.

Legalization of marijuana is one of the major items on his radar that could cost his department money but since that won't happen until the summer, our chief isn't sure how that will impact their budget. Bourassa believes the task of policing distribution will be one area as they make sure shops are licensed and following the rules, but also tracking down the black market cannabis around the community.

New road side screening devices are expected to be issued this year but no one is quite sure how much they'll cost and who covers the bill, then there's the cost of training officers how to use them. Bourassa believes more light will be shed on their concerns in the months to come, leading up to the summer transition.

Another change to the way the police service works will be officers patrolling rural areas.  The provincial government is trying to increase the police presence outside of major centres. Bourassa explains that it's not all officers, but just the officers paid for by the province.

"Because we're getting new positions, we will be getting an increase in policing inside the city in a way... the expectation is that the unit will spend two thirds of its time in the region and one third in the city. So we'll actually see an increase in traffic safety services in our city in this next while."

The police budget is being considered with the rest of the city budget figures and no decisions on the request have been finalized just yet. Council is expected to meet again for budget talks January 29th.