The Saskatoon Police Service (SPS) wrapped 2020 with an extra $914,200 in its pocket.
Despite a pricey overtime bill and unforeseeable expenses from the COVID-19 pandemic, the SPS used $98.7 million of its $99.6-million budget, according to its year-end financial report. The surplus will be returned to the city.
Saskatoon police received more government funding than anticipated.
The province doled out an additional $469,800, mostly for the traffic unit. The federal government gave city police an extra $130,900, primarily for officers seconded abroad to deliver training.
Meanwhile, staff compensation was over budget by $456,500, driven by overtime costs but offset largely by staff vacancies, the report says.
The SPS planned for 42,841 overtime hours but clocked 48,064, pushing it $784,600 over what was allocated. About a quarter of the overtime was dedicated to investigative support.
“Increases in serious and violent crime continue to put pressure on staffing requirements and after-hour responses,” the report says.
Despite the extra overtime, savings across the board put total expenditures $713,600 under budget.
COVID-19
COVID-19 cleaning precautions in SPS headquarters and vehicles cost $569,900, but the service saved money through some pandemic-related limitations.
Police saved $581,800 on travel and training, while the gas bill was $267,000 cheaper than expected.
The 2020 financial report will be reviewed Thursday at the Saskatoon board of police commissioners’ public meeting. The board and SPS declined to comment until after the meeting.