Q&A State of the Union

Police Association boss is one of the most contentious jobs in the city. New president Clayton Campbell is ready for a fight. Step one: arguing for a $46-million budget hike

- COURTNEY SHEA

As police union boss, you represent 8,000 uniformed and civilian members. You campaigned as No More Mr. Nice Guy. Why was that necessary?

I'm not afraid to speak up. Politicians tend to support police when it's convenient. There are councillors who voted to defund us in 2020 who now support a larger budget because public sentiment has shifted. I tell the truth, and if it hurts, fine by me.

You have the floor.

Toronto's biggest challenge right now is response times. Recent 911 callers have been left on hold between eight and 12 minutes. Average answer times were 28 seconds pre-2022. We need more dispatchers and more officers. So when I argue for a modest budget increase, it's because the data supports it.

You're asking for a $46-million hike. You consider that modest?

I understand the sticker shock, but it's only a 3.9 per cent increase from 2024. Peel is asking for 21.3 per cent. York had 7.7 per cent approved; Durham got 16.9 per cent. If anything, I wonder if I'm asking for enough. Our police rank fourth in Ontario for pay, and that's not right. I think a Toronto officer should be the highest paid in the province.

Are you worried about pissing off your fellow cops outside the city?