Years of conservative budgeting, combined with the loss of some government grants and inflation pressures, are putting a strain on St. Thomas police finances, says the city’s top cop.

The St. Thomas police board last week approved a proposed $21.6 million budget for the next year, representing a 22.3 per cent increase from the current $17.7 million budget.

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“I wish it was different,” Chief Marc Roskamp said about his spending request. “But years of pushing down the (police) budget, as encouraged by the city, have come full circle. It’s time to staff up and to make sure I can hire the resources to provide a safe city.”

The proposed budget includes eight new hires – five officers and three civilian staffers – to keep pace with St. Thomas’s rapid growth, projected to

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