Chief Bill Fordy is asking for a regional budget guidance increase of 8%.
A blunt message from Niagara Regional Police Chief, a 3.5% regional budget guidance increase means defunding the police.
Bill Fordy told the Police Services Board numerous regional councillors have said similar things, which means reducing the force by 50 officers.
He added to maintain basic service the budget needs 8%.
"We want to ensure there is no misunderstanding. A 3.5 guidance is not an increase, it is not sustainable, and it does not effect the realities of a growing and increasingly complex policing environment."
Member Kevin Gibson added crime is increasing, meaning the cost to deal with it also goes up.
Member Laura Ip added years of delayed increases eventually catch up.
"Many of the very same councillors who voted in favour of this have also never come to a budget meeting with solutions with how to reduce the tax rate. Frankly when people have been asking me how we're going to do it, I've been telling them it's impossible."
The chief quoted regional councillors who've said community safety could be at risk.
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