There was a heated debate at Hamilton City Hall Monday as the city’s police chief explained the board’s request for a $20-million increase to the police budget this year.

The police board passed the proposed budget back in December, and it has been divisive for delegates and councillors alike.

On the community delegation day last week, many of the 50 delegates asked council to reject the proposal, saying $20-million was simply too large of a sum.

That hike represents a 6.88 per cent increase in their operating budget and a 3.6 per cent increase in capital projects.

Chief Bergen says they need the hike to maintain effective policing as Hamilton’s population continues to grow.

The vast majority of the budget goes towards worker costs, including collective agreements and bringing in a dozen new officers and civilian employees next year.

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Council probed the chief over several parts of the budget, like the need for funding to reduce car theft and the growing costs associated with the increase in public protests that have recently taken place.

Several councillors, including Waterdown councillor Ted McMeekin, said residents are asking for more police and emergency response services in their neighbourhood.

However, Ward 2 Councillor Cameron Kroetsch, who sits on the police board, took aim with how the police budget came to be from its inception.

Kroetsch said he was unable to adequately go through the budget in any kind of detailed manner prior to the meeting.

“I was stopped from doing so. And the board, in no matter — in no way — reviewed the budget in detail. The only thing reviewed, was the presentation you saw.”

He said the board didn’t have the chance to look at the budget, ask questions about the budget and claims the process had been “hurried along.”

“A budget presentation, is not a budget. As far as I’m concerned the board has not done its due diligence.”

Ward 8 Councillor John-Paul Danko leaned into Kroetsch’s claims, pointing out that the councillor was accusing “the board that you’re on of not doing its due diligence.”

McMeekin said that while he can’t speak to whether or not due diligence had been carried out, it was clear the board had passed the proposal.

He said the residents that he represents in Flamborough-Waterdown, when asked, want to see more support for emergency personnel.

Council is expected to vote on whether to pass the budget on Feb. 15, however Councillor Kroetsch says he plans to bring forward a motion later this week for council to send the proposed budget back to the police board for review.

WATCH MORE: Hamilton’s Chief of Police defends request for $20M budget increase