Cost of a standoff

A recent standoff between a man and police cost the city’s police department thousands in overtime, adding to a budget already hundreds of thousands in the red.

The 27 hour standoff on Court Street nearly two weeks ago cost the department nearly $46,000 in overtime for nearly 40 officers on scene. Despite those numbers, Thunder Bay Police Service Deputy Chief J.P. Levesque said he believes it was money well spent.

From manning barricades to having tactical units on standby, coupled with a high volume of other calls, Levesque said overtime costs are expected whenever a major investigation is necessary.

"You can’t plan for these types of incidents and when they do occur you have to staff them properly. We operate under adequacy standards and standard operating procedures so we have to do things properly," he said.

"When you look at the money spent and to do things properly and to keep the community safe, really it’s a small amount compared to what it would cost in the long run if we had to defend ourselves in a civil action suit if things did not go properly."

City council heard Nov.1 that the police services showed a $433,400 unfavourable variance.
Coun. Joe Virdiramo, who is a member of the Thunder Bay Police Service Board, said the costs were largely due to overtime from major investigations such as homicides.