While the commission and CPS reviewed the police budget to explore other ways to fund the $13-million shortfall, Cornett argued there was no other option than to ask the city to use unallocated CSIF funding
The Calgary police commission is asking city council’s permission to use millions of unallocated dollars from the Community Safety Investment Framework (CSIF) to help pay for a new shooting range for Calgary police officers.
And though council is not set to debate the request until November, one councillor is already slamming the proposal as “just inappropriate,” considering the reason the framework was established in the first place.
“Our commission continues to be committed to police reforms and partnerships that change how people in crisis are supported,” she wrote. “However, we believe this is the only way to ensure that the limitations of the old firearms range do not continue limiting the service’s ability to have a fully staffed front line with officers who can competently and safely handle their firearms.”
In her letter, Cornett said CPS’ new shooting range was originally budgeted at $10 million, but is now expected to cost significantly more.
The police commission did not respond to a request for comment on Monday.
New shooting range needed, writes police commission chair
The current range, which was built in 2000, is past its life cycle and also presents occupational health and safety concerns, according to Cornett. Among its issues are a dated HVAC system and noise abatement deficiencies that limit firearms instructors and range supervisors to accessing the site for a maximum of just four hours per day, to prevent hearing damage and lead poisoning.
Another issue with the current range is its capacity. All CPS officers have to complete a firearms proficiency qualification twice a year, Cornett noted, and booking enough range time for officers to complete this requirement is becoming increasingly difficult as Calgary’s police force continues to grow.
“The time and space limitations of the range are now a bottleneck in both new recruit training and returning officers to work after long leaves of absence (i.e., injury recovery, medical leave, parental leave, etc.),” she wrote.
While the commission and CPS reviewed the police budget to explore other ways to fund the $13-million shortfall, Cornett argued there was no other option than to ask the city to use CSIF.
“Approving this request to use the unallocated funds to build the indoor range would not impact any of the partnerships or existing CSIF grants that the service has in place with community organizations,” she wrote.
Councillor calls ask ‘extremely problematic’
City council will consider the request during annual budget deliberations in November.
Ward 7 Coun. Terry Wong, one of two councillors on the police commission, said the request is not being made lightly.
“How do you replace or enhance a facility that is crucial to ensuring proper training for police enforcement versus funding to support services?” he said.
“That’s the question, the challenge that is going to come forward to city council when it comes time for budget review.”
But Ward 8 Coun. Courtney Walcott argued the optics of using CSIF money to pay for the shooting range’s cost overruns are “extremely problematic” when considering the context in which the framework was established, in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020.
He said he’d prefer if CPS simply asked for a capital budget increase when they come before council in November.
“If the commission wants to ask for capital escalations for a shooting range, they have all the right to do so,” Walcott said. “To do it in a way that takes away money from a program that, by their own admission, they’ve never appropriately utilized, is extremely problematic when you think about how that money is supposed to be used.
“Build the shooting range, but to take it from community? It’s just a mistake I can’t get over.”
CPS did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday.