RESEARCH / SAFETY & PUBLIC SPENDING
Safer neighbourhoods, with a clear account of the cost
Police resources, prevention and funding oversight all appear in campaign plans. They are related but distinct choices.
Archival detail of a 1974 Peel Regional Police cruiser at Mississauga Community Crime Awareness Day, 19 September 2009. This is a community display, not a current patrol or crime scene.
Current police budget and proposed reforms
The budget behind the discussion
Peel Regional Police’s 2026 budget page lists an operating budget of $837.3 million and a 9.9 per cent increase presented to Regional Council. It describes plans for 175 additional officers and stronger response and prevention capacity. Those are the police service’s published budget commitments; they do not by themselves establish the results achieved.
Peel Regional Police: 2026 Budget ↗
More than one approach to safety
Bonnie Crombie proposes returning to the police board, a public safety dashboard and annual spending review. Alvin Tedjo proposes a dedicated City Safety Division and prevention measures alongside policing resources. Dipika Damerla proposes targeted CCTV with privacy rules and independent value-for-money audits. These are campaign proposals, not implemented City programs.
Bonnie Crombie campaign: Community Safety Plan ↗ · Alvin Tedjo campaign: crime and safety plan ↗ · Dipika Damerla campaign: platform ↗
Who pays is another question
Parrish and Damerla argue for changing the way Mississauga and Brampton share policing costs. That debate concerns allocation, while an audit concerns value for money and prevention concerns outcomes. In online election discussion, participants also question spending and road safety. Those comments establish concerns being expressed, not citywide opinion or verified crime trends.
Carolyn Parrish campaign: accomplishments ↗ · Dipika Damerla campaign: platform ↗ · r/mississauga: What issues matter to YOU this upcoming municipal election? ↗
How residents can test the promises
Ask what success would look like: response times, repeat victimization, safer crossings or better access to crisis support. Request a baseline, an annual target and a reporting date. Also ask who controls each change—the City, Region, police board, province or federal government—and what privacy safeguards would accompany any new surveillance technology.
Advertiser identification
Authorized by Vierimaa Consulting Inc., a registered third-party advertiser in the City of Mississauga. Contact: mississauga@vierimaaconsulting.com.