When 15-year-old Brooklynn Barker-Hobbs leaves school, her dream is to become a police officer 鈥� but not in Langford.

Speaking at a meeting on March 17, the teenager appealed for the city to rethink its proposal to fund four new RCMP officers in 2025, instead of the requested five.

鈥淚 don't want to be a police officer in this community,鈥� said Barker-Hobbs. 鈥淚鈥檒l go to a different community because I want to feel appreciated.鈥�

The teenager also highlighted her concerns about what could be the impact on public safety if the council did not change its mind.

"My school is a 30-minute walk from my house and I can't even walk to my house and to school because I'm scared that something bad will happen and police can't make it there in time,鈥� she said.

Barker-Hobbs was one of a handful of residents who spoke at the meeting, urging the council against 鈥渦nder funding鈥� the West Shore RCMP.

Others encouraged the city to rethink its approach to the RCMP budget. 

With four new officers, the cop-to-population ratio for Langford would stand at one officer per 788 of the population. 

鈥淪lightly stronger than in recent years,鈥� noted Langford resident Frazer Johnson, who suggested the funding formula is now in need of a refresh.

According to Johnson, the 鈥榗op-to-pop鈥� ratio locks Langford into 鈥渓ong-term significant budget increases,鈥� without also considering the needs of the community.

鈥淧olice budgets should be responsive to a growing community, but the discussion around them requires more nuance than turning out a dollar figure from a spreadsheet,鈥� he said.

The original request for five officers would have allowed for the recruitment of two officers working in a new economic crime department, one for the special victims unit and two for the investigative services team, who assist frontline officers.

For Supt. Todd Preston, officer in charge of West Shore RCMP, the recruitment of the two officers on the front line is 鈥渘ot negotiable,鈥� as he has 16 staff members 鈥渙ff from mental health and overwork.鈥�

鈥淸We need to] stop the hemorrhaging on the front line,鈥� he said.

With four new recruits, bringing the total number of officers to 74, Preston said he will have to reduce capacity elsewhere, warning councillors this will negatively impact the level of service.

He also warned of 鈥渇racturing all policing鈥� in the West Shore, with the risk of other municipalities following Langford鈥檚 lead of not 鈥榓dhering to鈥� the cop-to-pop ratio.

鈥淏ecause Langford鈥檚 not doing it 鈥� why should they burden their taxpayers if you鈥檙e not going to keep up your end of the bargain,鈥� he said.

A concern dismissed by Coun. Lillian Szpak who said as far as she鈥檚 aware, Langford has a good working relationship with their West Shore partners.

鈥淭his is not a cut, this is an additional four members, so I think that鈥檚 a mischaracterization,鈥� she said, explaining that she feels calling it a 鈥榗ut鈥� raises anxiety in the community.

鈥淲e are an accountable council that values the work of our West Shore RCMP 鈥� each and every member and every sacrifice that they make 鈥� that is not what is being debated here."

A motion by Coun. Mark Morley to up the number of new recruits to five 鈥� the original number requested 鈥� was opposed by Couns. Colby Harder, Kimberley Guiry, Keith Yacucha and Szpak.

Couns. Mary Wagner, Morley and Mayor Scott Goodmanson voted in favour.

2025 budget gets green light

At the March 17 meeting, councillors approved the 2025 budget with a tax increase of 9.77 per cent.

As well as the four RCMP officers, the approved budget increase includes nine firefighters, police dispatch service E-Comm and "significant infrastructure projects," including phase one of the Latoria Road sidewalk and bike lane project.

First presented to council in February, the draft financial plan proposed a 14.51 per cent tax increase for 2025, which over time was shaved down to the now 9.77 per cent hike.

"Council worked diligently to reduce the 2025 budget from 14.51% to 9.77%," said Goodmanson in a city news release. "Council believes this budget strikes a balance between continuing to invest in the community, prioritizing public safety and maintaining service levels while acknowledging the uncertainty of current financial conditions and the need to be prudent."

The first three readings of the Financial Plan Bylaw and the 2025 Tax Rates Bylaw will be considered on April 22. Adoption of these bylaws will then be considered during the regular council meeting on May 5.

While the budget was approved for 2025, councillors have asked staff to bring back further information related to the projected tax increases in 2026 to 2029 to a committee of the whole meeting on April 8.