MOOSE JAW — The Moose Jaw Police Service plans to spend more than $2.4 million during the next five years through its equipment reserve budget, which includes over $720,000 for smaller items like computers.
The 2025-29 equipment reserve budget is based on the depreciation of inventory items, with the organization funding amortized amounts annually as an operating expense, according to a report presented during the recent Board of Police Commissioners’ meeting.
The budget lists equipment that is fully amortized, due for replacement or new to inventory this year. The organization gives each item a replacement value and a lifespan value, while depreciation is the replacement value divided by the lifespan value.
The board report indicated that the police service’s 2025 reserve contribution requirement from the operating budget is $304,516 for major equipment and $128,421 for small equipment, for a total of $432,937. However, a credit of $21,574 from interest on the control account reduces that number to $411,363, which is $25,225 more than last year’s contribution requirement.
Small equipment
The police service requires $203,999 for small equipment purchases this year, while it requires $180,413 next year, $103,633 in 2027, $97,489 in 2028 and $135,863 in 2029, for a total of $721,397, the report said.
The amount of money available from depreciation is $631,747, while $89,650 will come from the control account, which combines to form the five-year total.
Some small items the agency plans to purchase this year include laptops, desktop computers, hand-held radar units, body armour, a TV, iPads, mountain bikes, mobile radar units, traffic direction equipment for crashes, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), tactical equipment, handguns and red-dot gunsights.
Major equipment
The agency plans to spend $92,000 this year to purchase four major items, the report said.
The includes a biometric sensor for $14,000, a K-9 dog for $17,000, six carbines for $21,000 and an unmarked patrol vehicle for $40,000.
Meanwhile, the police service plans to spend $426,100 next year on 12 items, such as traffic radar units, radio systems, workstations, software and vehicles.
In 2027, the organization plans to spend $350,000 on five items, $352,748 for 10 items in 2028 and $465,000 on five items in 2029.
Therefore, the total amount the police service requires for minor and major equipment purchases is $295,999 this year, $606,513 next year, $453,633 in 2027, $450,237 in 2028 and $600,863 in 2029, for a total of $2,407,245, the report showed.
The organization expects to have $2,277,652 available from depreciation during that period, with $129,593 to come from the control account to top up the purchase requirements.
Uncompleted works
The equipment reserve budget report lists 18 items worth $1,023,378 this year as “uncompleted works,” which, according to police, are items the organization has yet to purchase, have not arrived or haven’t needed to be replaced.
“We must carry those items and the money associated with them over each year to be able to confirm that those funds are available for those items,” a spokesman said.
Some major items include an intoxilyzer, Versaterm software and hardware, a forensic drying cabinet, a prisoner van, building security for cells, vehicles, a printer and mobile radar units.
The report added that there is $243,760 worth of small equipment items on the uncompleted works list, which brings the total amount to $1,267,138.
The next police board meeting is Tuesday, April 8.
