LPS ‘stretched to the max’ amidst $1-million budget cuts

Lethbridge Police Service is expecting layoffs in the coming months. The news comes after Monday’s decision by City Council to reduce funding by $1-million to the LPS. Officials say 87 percent of the police budget goes towards staffing. Lethbridge Police Chief Shahin Mehdizadeh doesn’t agree with the decision, especially when there is a need to hire even more officers.

“From a policing perspective we are stretched to the max, even with 172 police officers. We have given this information to council. When you look at the standard for other police departments (with a) similar size cities, we are actually short policed officers and civilian staff”.