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Michael Janz — own words on police funding and root causes

michaeljanz.ca/more_money_more_police_not_necessarily

  • "We're paying millions more each year for police, but it isn't resulting in as many new officers as you might think."
  • "Even if we tripled the number of police officers, it wouldn't address the nature of the crime complaints we are seeing around Edmonton mostly related to poverty, addiction, and social disorder."
  • Front-line officers are frustrated because "there is nowhere to take the unhoused or those suffering from mental health."
  • "We need to tackle the root causes of crime — support crisis diversion, take the burden off police officers."
  • "Experts across the board say the key to stopping crime starts with addressing social services and mental health, not unsustainable investment into police and prisons."

michaeljanz.ca/safety

  • "the vast majority of calls are driven by poverty, addiction, and trauma." (affirms former EPS Chief Dale McFee's line "we can't police our way out of crime")
  • "When it comes to public health and safety, we need the right tool, at the right time, in the right place at the right cost."
  • "No other jurisdiction in Alberta spends more on policing than Edmonton." / "Edmonton spends the 2nd highest per person on policing in Canada."

During 2022 budget deliberations (CBC, reported)

  • Moving to cut the EPS budget ~$11.9M: "We're paying way too much for the wrong services, at the wrong time, at the wrong place."

Urban Affairs "Orange Crush" profile

  • "We are spending the second-highest per capita on policing in Canada, next to Windsor, Ontario — 22 cents out of every tax dollar goes to the Edmonton police service."

Vote record (cross-examination context, from Taproot Edmonton, Sept 5 2023): The EPS-only funding formula passed 9-4 on Aug 23 2023. Janz voted AGAINST it (with Rutherford, Salvador, Stevenson). This is the honest complication: on police, Janz is the council's most consistent restraint voice and opposed the autopilot escalator — unlike Knack, who supported it. The thesis holds on net effect (the formula passed; EPS still grew), but Janz's individual record on this specific vote cuts against a flat "unwavering support for police" charge and should be reported as such.

Original source: https://www.michaeljanz.ca/more_money_more_police_not_necessarily Original source: https://www.michaeljanz.ca/safety Original source: https://urbanaffairs.ca/edmonton-ish/meet-city-council-michael-janz/ Original source: https://edmonton.taproot.news/news/2023/09/05/three-council-members-change-position-on-police-budget-with-new-funding-formula Retrieved: 2026-07-04