Mayor Sam Sullivan has a history of resisting police requests for more officers, but now  says things have changed and wants to hire 96 more police officers for Vancouver.

A recent commitment of $53 million by the federal government for policing in B.C. and a new report by police Chief Jim Chu on cost efficiencies in the force was enough to convince Sullivan the city can afford to support a proposal to hire 96 officers over two years, he said Wednesday night.

"And with the civil city commissioner's recommendations on increasing fines and achieving more revenue on the collection of fines, we can mitigate the impacts on the taxpayer," Sullivan told CBC reporter Robert Zimmerman.

At least one of the mayor's opponents is questioning the timing of Sullivan's announcement, considering that a vote on the proposal won't happen for another month, but the race to challenge his hold on the mayor's seat is heating up.

Coun. Raymond Louie announced Thursday morning he plans to seek a nomination from Vision Vancouver to run against Sullivan for mayor in the November civic election.

Unlike Sullivan, Louie has supported hiring more officers for several years, and he calls Sullivan's new-found support for the proposal too little, too late.

"I'm saying that he's late in coming. Many of these officers should have come last year, and the year before when he voted against it," Louie told the CBC's Rick Cluff on Thursday morning.

There is no new guarantee the federal money will flow to Vancouver police instead of a new integrated policing unit, said Louie, so property taxpayers could be left footing the bill.

Louie said that funding just 50 additional officers a year represents about a one per cent tax increase for Vancouver residents.

That's an extra $25 for a homeowner paying $2,500 a year in property tax.

Chief stresses need for officers

Chu said the department has long needed more officers, and he's pleased to learn city council is considering a proposal to fund 96 more police officers.

"We know that more police officers equals less crime," said Chu.

"The Vancouver Police Department is working hard to make Vancouver the country's safest major city."

Chu wouldn't comment on whether the proposed increase has anything to do with it being a municipal election year.

If the proposal is approved when council votes on it in April, Chu says 48 new officers will be hired in 2007 and the same number will be taken on in 2008, and the majority will be placed on patrol.

The upcoming race for the mayor's seat is promising to be one of the most tightly contested in recent years, with several high-profile candidates recently announcing their intention to seek nominations to run.

In February Coun. Peter Ladner announced he plans to challenge the mayor for the Non-Partisan Association's nomination to run for mayor in the next civic election.

MLA Gregor Robertson and park board commissioner Allan de Genova have also announced their plans to seek the Vision Vancouver party's nomination to run for the mayor's seat as well.