Article content

Edmonton police will phone citizens and call town hall meetings this winter to help decide which key programs to cut after city council refused Wednesday to fund them beyond population growth and inflation.

“One of the things we’re going to have to do is go out and talk with the community,” said police Chief Rod Knecht. “We’ll say, ‘These are some of the cuts that we’re seeing we might have to make. Are those cuts that work for the community?’ At the end of the day, we want to keep Edmonton safe.”

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Edmonton police will ask for public's help making cuts, police chief says Back to video

Knecht said school resource officers are at risk since they don’t respond to emergency calls. But increased funds for countering domestic violence can’t be sacrificed. “We see that as a high priority for Edmontonians and it has significant impact on the community.”

The service will also hire paramedics to assess and treat prisoners as they enter the police detention facility. That will avoid some time-consuming trips to the hospital. It will also improve safety for detainees and was recommended in a recent fatality inquiry.