Mayor Eisenberger and Bob Bratina trade jabs

There is a war of words between a former and the current mayor after Hamilton MP Bob Bratina used Saturday’s vigil for Yosif Al-Hasnawi to criticize the current city council and police force.

It was a sombre event, to remember the young man who was shot and killed while trying to stop an assault, but Bob Bratina took that time to talk about how violent the city has become since he was mayor.

“We have to ask ourselves an important question. Do we feel safe on our city streets especially in downtown and other areas of city?”

In this speech Saturday night, the Hamilton East MP questioned whether there are enough resources to provide adequate and effective policing in Hamilton.

“There is a very disturbing trend which has led us to being here tonight, to remember Yosif. In the last year I was mayor in 2014 there were a total of seven shooting incidents. The next year 14, then 22, and this year there have been 30 shootings.”

Hamilton Mayor Fred Eisenberger wouldn’t comment on camera today, but tweeted this after hearing Bratina’s speech.

Police Chief Eric Girt wouldn’t go as far as Eisenberger, but did disagree with Bratina’s remarks.

“To factor it to one particular item is inaccurate, there’s multiple effects that we’re looking at, the distribution and sale of drugs, the availability of handguns.”

Bratina added that the average number of officers in Canadian cities is 190 per 100,000 people. In Hamilton it’s 151.

Girt agrees more officers are needed.

“I have asked for additional officers and civilians, and I will be providing that articulation to the board, premature to do it today.”

It could be some time before Chief Girt knows if he’ll get to hire additional officers as the 2018 budget likely won’t be approved until March.