Victoria Police Chief disappointed as Esquimalt council rejects the portion of his department's 2022 budget

Victoria Police Chief Del Manak says he's disappointed Esquimalt council has rejected the portion of his department's 2022 budget that would have funded 10 new positions.

Esquimalt and the City of Victoria share policing costs for the capital and although Victoria council has approved the department's entire 63.4-million dollar budget, Esquimalt rejected the portion that would have funded the 10 new jobs.

Manak says the new hires, including two plainclothes co-responder officers who work as a team with a psychiatric nurse, are ``an essential component of the department's overall core budget request.''

Esquimalt Mayor Barb Desjardins says crime in her community is declining and there are fewer calls for police, so council felt it would be paying for resources it doesn't need, prompting Manak to say he looks forward to discussing options with the police board, which is co-chaired by Desjardins.