Ottawa — Operating expenses for police services in Canada increased 12 percent year over year in 2021-22, according to Statistics Canada.

The federal agency said in data released Monday that total operating expenses for all police services in Canada for 2021-2022 were $18.5 billion in current dollars. These expenses included wages and salaries (67%), benefits (17%) and other operating expenses (16%).

Adjusted for inflation, total operating expenditure for police services in Canada was $342 per capita in 2021-22, up 8% from the previous period.

A key reason Statistics Canada cites to explain these increases is the introduction of the first collective agreement for members and reservists of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). Subsequent payments, salary increases and expenses for employee benefit plans increased total operating expenses.

In addition, the number of police officers recorded in Canada in 2022 continued its downward trend that began more than a decade ago.

Statistics Canada shows that there were 181 male and female police officers per 100,000 people in the country last year, which is 1% fewer than in 2021. Although there were 406 more police officers on May 15, 2022 than at the same time in 2021, or 70,566, the even faster growth of Canada’s population has resulted in a lower rate of police officers.

The federal agency has also observed that women’s representation in the police force has steadily increased since 1986. That year women made up a little less than 4% of the total police force, while last year they made up 23% of the total number of sworn police officers were women.

There were 16,008 female police officers in Canada last year.

On the other hand, according to the 2021 census data, the racialized population made up 26.5% of the population of Canada. A year later, among the police services for which this information was available, 8% of all police officers and 14% of recruits in Canada received racist treatment. In the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, racialized constables made up 13% of the police force; this proportion rose to 7% in municipal police services.

Meanwhile, last year 4% of police officers said they were Aboriginal and 4% said they were novices.

Ottawa — Operating expenses for police services in Canada increased 12 percent year over year in 2021-22, according to Statistics Canada.

The federal agency said in data released Monday that total operating expenses for all police services in Canada for 2021-2022 were $18.5 billion in current dollars. These expenses included wages and salaries (67%), benefits (17%) and other operating expenses (16%).

Adjusted for inflation, total police service operating expenses in Canada were $342 per capita in 2021-22, up 8% from the previous period.

A key reason Statistics Canada cites to explain these increases is the introduction of the first collective agreement for members and reservists of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). Subsequent payments, salary increases and expenses for employee benefit plans increased total operating expenses.

In addition, the number of police officers recorded in Canada in 2022 continued its downward trend that began more than a decade ago.

Statistics Canada shows that there were 181 male and female police officers per 100,000 people in the country last year, which is 1% fewer than in 2021. Although there were 406 more police officers on May 15, 2022 than at the same time in 2021, or 70,566, the even faster growth of Canada’s population has resulted in a lower rate of police officers.

The federal agency has also observed that women’s representation in the police force has steadily increased since 1986. That year women made up a little less than 4% of the total police force, while last year they made up 23% of the total number of sworn police officers were women.

There were 16,008 female police officers in Canada last year.

On the other hand, according to the 2021 census data, the racialized population made up 26.5% of the population of Canada. A year later, among the police services for which this information was available, 8% of all police officers and 14% of recruits in Canada received racist treatment. In the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, racialized constables made up 13% of the police force; this proportion rose to 7% in municipal police services.

Meanwhile, last year 4% of police officers said they were Aboriginal and 4% said they were novices.