The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

Police board, association make three-year deal By Tim Foran CANADIAN CHAMPION STAFF Halton police officers and civilian mem- bers of the force will get wage increases of 9.2 per cent over the next three years as part of a new collective bargaining agreement ratified recently by both the union and the Halton Police Services Board. The negotiated contract means Halton police will remain in the top five of best-paid officters in the province, based on a first class constable's salary of $78,418 this year rising to $83,274 on January 1, 2011. First class constables, which officers become upon entering their fourth year with the force, make up around two-thirds of the police ser- vice's 587 uniformed officers. By comparison, the samne level of consta- ble in Toronto will receive $81,249 in 2010, the last year of that forces current contract. Halton bas been recognized as the region with the lowest crimie ni the GTA anci amiong the safest large communittes in Canada, with only one recorded murder in 2008. However, salaries for officers aren't based on crime but rather on an assessment of what officers are being paid in the il other large police services in the province, said Bob Maich, chair of the seven-member Halton Police Services Board, whicb also includes regional counicil members Gary Carr, Colin Best and Carol D'Amelio. Police in Halton have always been paid the average of what officers in those other jurisdictions receive, said Maich, but the cur- rent settlement puts Halton police slightly below the average. The low crime is due to the quality and excellence of Haltons police service and the participation of residents in the region to belp police prevent and combat crime, Maich said. Asked if Haltons fortunate socioeconom- ic status - the average bousehold income was $ 104,000 in 2006 compared to a 'provin- cial average of $75,000 - was also a factor, Maicb responded: "Hypotbetically, that can be a factor." Paul Lacourse, chief administrator for the Halton Regional Police Association, said the new contract drops bis members to fiftb best paid in the province fromn tbeir previous number two status. But bc said theres only a difference of about $700 in annual salary from numbers one to 10. "We tbink ifs a fair deal for botb our members and the taxpayers," said Lacourse. Maicb said, despite the wage increases, the board stili plans to try to achieve a 2010 budget that would result in no tax increases to Halton property taxpayers, as requcsted by Halton regional council. However, witb personnel costs account- ing for more than 85 per cent of the police budget, tihe flcx collecti\,c tgreccnt pt-es- lents a challenge to acbtevtng that target, be admitted. As bas been the case for at least tbe past 17 years, the current contract was negotiated witb no need for job action, said Lacourse. The agreement is in place until December 31, 2011 and covers Halton polices 587 uni- formed officers and 230 civilian administra- tive staff. Tbere are only tbree non-unionized mem- bers of the Halton Regional Police Service - tbe chief and the two deputy ebiefs, wbo work on contracts witb salary reviews eacb year, said Maicb. Chief Gary Crowell earned $215,000 in salary and taxable benefits in 2008, a 12 per cent increase over 2007, according to provin- cially-released statisties. Tim Foi-an cati bc reached at f/oran{Pi/- tonizanadianchainpion. coi. LAST CALL p won seloetedSpfiug wiI savigs Up t 75% off av . im Wfies Choose from Speclal Assortmients of Spring & Summer tSultlngs e Knits * Fancles e PrInts te Novelties ~2mfn3m$4mn$5m ,lîIsction wilt :ary store) SAFETY FIRSI: Bomar Bargain Centre co-owner Bob Hawley (Ieft) shows smoke ala.rms while Milton tire prevention inspector Barry Kory displays a melted phone damaged in a recent residential tire. it was part of a recent fundraising sale of smoke alarms at Bomar. The alarms were sold at a reduced price, with $4 from each sale going to the TOMA Foundation, which laids burned children. CET A BONUS BALLOT! Bring this coupon to the Winner's Circle Rewards desk at OLG Siots at Mohawk Racetrack ftom August 3, 'to 12" 2009 and receive a FREE bonus ballot. 9430 OL3ooot o 0399 wil. 795 lu 309 9I- ,,, 139 , "My 79.90 ID" 099d le -If$ff l 00909 03, ,9", ,,d« R-, 9.97 3,00. P-337300 .,,, 9,9309.0939 -, -I à 9.ý d..o7&0o7o, Il Cý gghals, LnftOh. (1) .Mh 0, . P.hhlh Oth UR93d30e30,00.0999399399 399,,93e by OLGo ,I, -101 .91,0o Ilpl793 ý bs0 l L SosàClm Rbb9-0390f-4d le70 h M0 Ud . 00000,9 MIbI.-,d bdO upasd ,h, 3,, h ,~,, p,ýt.I, ..pib.C., 4,1 09t1 0