A lack of proper staffing levels is keeping employees at the Brantford Police Service on the so-called Sunshine List as overtime becomes the norm, says Chief Rob Davis.
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Davis says the overtime adds to the base-level salaries and it will remain high until more staff are added.
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“Eventually, every constable, other than rookies, will be on the list,” Davis said in an email.
The chief said a fourth-class constable starts at almost $70,000 and, over the course of four years, becomes a first-class constable, earning about $111,000.
While the number of people from the Brantford services hasn’t risen substantially, some of the salaries are far higher than base rates.
One first-class officer is on the 2023 list making $191,620, pointing to substantial overtime earnings.
Davis has been pushing for more sworn officers, more employees in the records department which prepares court briefs, more security at the area courthouses and more people in the dispatch department, saying more staff would reduce overtime costs.
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“The Brantford court deals with a similar number of cases as Halton region,” said Davis, “however our resources are considerably less – approximately a third.
“Overtime is routinely required in these areas and will be until they are properly staffed.”
That applies to the dispatch department as well, where almost the entire section is now on the $100,000-plus list.
Davis requested funding for four new dispatchers in the latest budget discussions and was turned down.
“These additional positions would have provided relief to those who area working substantial overtime. The shift relief factor alone creates a situation in which most shifts will be short at least one person and require overtime.”
The chief said the pressure will continue for dispatchers as the pressure grows on the officers in the field.
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The chair of the Brantford Police Association, Jeremy Morton, agreed that overtime is part of the reason for officers on the Sunshine List.
But he also points to “operational decisions” that have pulled officers from the front-lines into specialized units without adequate staffing to back-fill their positions.
“(Then) overtime is inevitable and will continue until front-line patrol units are adequately staffed. Being at full complement and having those officers deployed in a responsible manner are two very different things.”
Both Davis and Morton agreed officers are both working diligently, facing long hours and a changing role.
“The types of crimes, complexity of crimes and societal demands on police drive the need for staffing,” said the chief, saying Brantford is closely compared to Thunder Bay which has more resources.
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Morton pointed out that $100,000 in 1996, when the Sunshine List was instituted, would be about $175,000 today, meaning about 15 police employees would be on it.
“Members have a difficult job, ensuring the safety and security of our community, often working long hours and on days off with few breaks to ensure the citizens of Brantford have a safe community to live in.”
In 2023, Brantford Police Service had only a slight uptick from 160 people on the list in 2022 to 165 people with Chief Rob Davis at the top of the list, earning slightly less than the previous year.
Davis took home $246,201 in salary and $11,987 in taxable benefits.
The other top earners last year were:
Jason Barber, plainclothes sergeant, $204,813; Jason Saunders, Deputy Police Chief, $204,579; Albireo Singh, sergeant, $199,538; Michael Sciberras, staff sergeant, $196,442; Mark Whitworth, sergeant, $191,990; Daniel Bosett, first-class constable, $191,620; and Jason Sinning, plainclothes constable, $182,436.
Police inspectors Kevin Reeder, Kristen Bell-Samson, Richard Paolini, and Donald Pancoe all earned about $180,000.
@EXPSGamble
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