VicPD salaries, 2022
Victoria councillors have been talking this week about wherever-can-they-possibly-cut in next year’s budget. VicPD wants $74.1 million. Via FOI, here’s how much Victoria and Esquimalt paid for VicPD officers in 2022.
In 2022, Victoria and Esquimalt paid an average of $131,000 for 181 VicPD constables (salary and benefits), including four making over $200,000. Retirement payouts or generous OT payments could explain those outliers.
In 2022, Victoria and Esquimalt paid an average of $164,000 for 37 sergeants; an average of $182,000 for 13 staff sergeants; an average of $199,000 for six inspectors; an average of $210,000 for two deputy chiefs; and $272,000 for the chief.
Eight “special constables” cost an average of $84,000. In addition to officers, 28 civilian staff were compensated more than $75k, including eight over $100,000, like the head of VicPD’s PR team, who cost $160,000. The average cost for VicPD civilian positions over $75,000 was $99,000.
Victoria and Esquimalt also paid for $635,000 in VicPD expenses for individuals compensated more than $75,000 in 2022, up from $284,000 in 2021 (a COVID shift, but both numbers are high). 128 individuals had over $1,000 in expenses, and 12 had over $10,000 in expenses.
The highest expenses in 2022 were $34,000 for Del Manak and $27,000 for Deputy Chief Laidman. Manak was in transit or out of town for 48 days last year.
VicPD doesn’t post salary and benefits data as part of its “transparency initiative” because they don’t want to, and councillors and the police board don’t make them. I’ve posted VicPD’s 2022 compensation data online here.
Other information VicPD doesn’t think it needs on its “Open VicPD” page include use of force data, or officer suspensions. VicPD is already $2.2M over budget this year, and its bloated $74.1M budget request is at the expense of a better and safer city.