A provincial inspection of the Hamilton Police Service found problems with the service’s facility management and review process, 12 months before a report to the local police services board revealed insufficient space is a problem, that most branches are at capacity and there is little opportunity for growth.

According to the local police board’s summary of 29 recommendations made by the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services after an October 2008 inspection, the police chief should “update and revise the policy on police facilities to comply with the guideline by identifying an individual responsible for the overall management of the police service’s facilities and requiring maintenance of an updated inventory.”

In response, a draft policy was apparently developed, but will not be released to the public.

The ministry recommended Hamilton Police comply with board policies and be able to demonstrate that compliance, on “the requirement to review and report on police facilities, at least once every business cycle.”

The ministry also recommended the board meet a requirement to include estimated cost projections for implementing a facilities plan within its business plan, or revise its policy if the board determines such cost projections aren’t required.

After fixing a problem in the central station’s custody cells, where the ministry inspection found prisoners could evade surveillance cameras by hiding under a bed, the service was scheduled to conduct a facilities audit.

According to the Hamilton Police Service’s 2007 annual report, the annual goal of identifying and prioritizing current and long term facility needs was put over until 2008. The 2008 annual report has not been released.

The service has actually expanded its total space over the past six years, growing from approximately 202,000 square feet in the central, east end, Mountain and Dundas police stations in 2003 to a current approximate square footage of 235,000 square feet in the central and east end headquarters, and new and former Mountain headquarters.

But that expansion of about 33,000 square feet has been outstripped by an increasing demand for space.

A facility report update to the board last month stated a space needs plan was prepared in 1997 and amended in 2002.

“A new plan is currently being prepared to reflect the current space concerns” along with new opportunities that could come with a new marine facility and joint training facility shared by police, fire and ambulance staff.

Last month’s report singles out the forensics branch, which needs a substantial increase in space to comply with changing procedures and practice, and on-site parking at headquarters which is described as “insufficient” and requires some vehicles to be parked off-site in private lots.