Spending on police takes too much from other programs

Re: Police board approves bigger 2023 budget — Jan. 19

The Waterloo Regional Police services board has approved another huge, and increasing, police budget.

Of course, there are pleas for restraint and redirection of police funds to really get to the root causes of the issues faced by the most vulnerable and needy in our society. But every year, these pleas seem to fall on deaf ears.

I found it interesting that police Chief Mark Crowell recognizes that funding of policing and social services are both necessary to address root causes of crimes. However, where is the much-needed money for improved social services coming from?

As long as the police keep getting big increases from the tax levy, there will never be enough money to improve social services.

Like Chief Crowell, I also dream of the day “when we can move away from reactive and responsive modes” and have community solutions that are police-free. I agree with him that we are not there yet. I fear we may never get there, if we keep putting all our eggs in the policing basket.

As the saying goes, if you only have a hammer in your tool box, then everything starts to look like a nail.

Helen Schafer Waterloo