$32,000 travel budget for VicPD Chief in 2022
I received FOI records back with details on some 2023 VicPD budget items Victoria council briefly discussed, but voted against reducing or even delving into, including Del Manak’s $32,000 travel budget. Here’s a post about those 2022 travel costs.
When Susan Kim raised the idea of reducing Manak’s $32,000 travel budget, Chris Coleman said in-person attendance/travel is necessary; Marg Gardiner said it was a small cost; and Marianne Alto mentioned she was aware of three conferences. After discussion, council (including Kim) voted against reductions.
What council didn’t have when voting to keep his travel budget was any info about his travel. Records show he was in transit or out of town for conferences or events for 48 days in 2022, or ~24% of his 202 contracted working days (after 13 stats and a 45-day vacation allowance).
Travel included: 8 days in Quebec City ($4,880, Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police); 7 in Dallas ($4,935, International Association of Police Chiefs); 6 in Niagara Falls ($4,035, International Association of Women Police); 5 in Ottawa ($2,025, CACP); and 4 in San Francisco ($2,627, Police Executive Research Forum).
VicPD’s travel records are obtuse, so the purpose is not always clear. One travel claim shows a flight for Manak to attend the three-day Quebec City conference (which is what he noted in his written report to the board), but after a flight change he had expenses over eight days.
Also included in Manak's travel costs were $3,600 to send him to funerals for Toronto and Burnaby police officers. It’s Victoria and Esquimalt who are ultimately on the hook for those trips, which I would suggest may have been more appropriately paid for by VicPD’s political arm.
Manak’s 2022 travel costs were ~$12,100 on flights; $11,500 on hotels; $2,500 on per diems (breakfast, lunch, dinner and incidentals); $2,100 on conference registrations; $1,400 on car rentals, parking and tolls; $1,000 on ferries; and $750 on taxis and ride-hail.
There were also $700 in costs to fly Manak back from vacation in Italy after the BMO shootings, which I didn’t include in his 48-day total work travel. Also, regarding him spending 24% of his contracted days away, Manak may work unpaid OT beyond those contracted days.
Whether spending $32,000 for Manak to go to seven conferences, four police chief meetings, three graduations and two funerals is a good use of city money would be a fair question, but it’s one council didn’t really ask, and which they never had the records to begin to answer.
Handwaving $32,000 as a small expense, instead of making VicPD justify the costs, is Victoria’s police budget process in microcosm. Briefly discussed, but another missed opportunity to reallocate any of VicPD’s existing outsized budget to fund community programs and housing.