Multiple homicide investigations and staff absences caused by COVID-19 led to more overtime hours for Sarnia police last year.
Officers worked 13,959 hours of overtime in 2021, and overtime accounts ended at $398,935 over budget. That's compared to $238,000 over budget in 2020 and $280,000 the year prior.
Chief Norm Hansen said while the service could always use more officers, 2021 was a unique year.
"Neither me nor the deputy chief, [Owen Lockhart], have seen four homicides in one month, and to our officers' credit, they solved them all, which was good. Yes, we could always use more officers, but 2021, with COVID especially, it would probably be a bad year to gauge the need."
Hansen made the comments during Thursday's Sarnia Police Services Board meeting. He also told the board that COVID-19 caused overtime challenges for the service.
"We had a whole platoon have to go home for a week because they were exposed to COVID. We had another platoon exposed in a cell block. We have no control over that," said Hansen. "[Overtime] is such an unpredictable number and I don't know what more we could do except hold our breath and hope we don't have another year like that."
Hansen said the service is still waiting to receive some provincial funding to assist with overtime.
He also said other services are facing similar overtime challenges, noting that Barrie police have already received $500,000 to help with overtime and they're still looking at a $950,000 shortfall. Sarnia police staff are anticipating a shortfall of approximately $195,000 for the 2021 Operating Budget.
Board Vice Chair Paul Wiersma discussed the possibility of increasing the complement.
"I guess as a board I would encourage us to monitor this area, and I appreciate we just recently increased the complement by four, but I personally would be supportive of looking at that again in the future."