Codiac RCMP budget up 8.67%

The Codiac RCMP's budget for 2008 is up by 8.67 per cent according to the documents submitted to Moncton, Riverview and Dieppe.

It will now be up to the three communities in the greater Moncton area to agree on how to sharepaying the $22-million budget.

One of the largest drivers in the budget increase is a move by the City of Moncton to bump up the cost of rent at the police station by $240,000 a year, said Kent Robinson, chair of the police commission.

"There had not been an increase for five years and the city rightfully, in my opinion, felt they deserved an increase to bring it in line with other space, and that's resulted in a very significant increase," Robinson said.

Two officers are also being added to the force's current 143 members. One will be dedicated to domestic violence while the other will focus on break-ins.

One of the community policing officers will be replaced with a civilian, said superintendent Todd Shean.

It's cheaper to hire a non-officer to organize neighbourhood watches and other community programs, Shean said.

The budget was also calculated on the assumption that the Treasury Board will be raising RCMP salaries by 3.25 per cent in 2008, Shean said.