Ottawa police promote enforcement of measures focused on ‘hot spots’

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Ottawa police are planning to attack crime “hot spots” this spring, using law enforcement measures focused on “criminals who cause serious harm,” once a new The neighborhood operations center opens at the Rideau Center at the end of May.

A report to the Ottawa Police Services Board outlines plans for a new Community Outreach Engagement and Response Strategy, or CORE, that includes an increased police presence in and around ByWard Market, along with the new police operations center. neighborhood.

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As part of the strategy, police will deploy “intermittent, highly visible patrols in these identified areas,” including the Rideau Street, ByWard Market and Lowertown area, to deter crime and improve the perception of public safety. Focused law enforcement, the report says, involves “identifying offenders causing the greatest harm and directing swift action to reduce and deter new crimes.”

Additionally, “by leveraging information and data sharing agreements with our partners, other stakeholders such as OC Transpo and the City of Ottawa Community Engagement Team will also direct their efforts to these critical areas,” the report reads. “Our combined efforts will deter crime and provide direct support to vulnerable people.”

Also planned for late spring is a crime prevention “blitz,” according to the report, which will involve “using data analytics and engaging community partners to identify the places and businesses most affected by crime and disorder.” social”.

Additionally, Ottawa Police Service officers are also partnering with the city’s community engagement and outreach teams, according to the report, to “support the needs of vulnerable and street populations in high-priority areas.”

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The report notes that the Ontario government and the city of Ottawa signed a new funding agreement in late March, providing $48 million over three years to address public and community safety. That money will pay for an increase in uniformed police officers at ByWard Market and in the transit system, along with alternative mental health supports, according to the report.

In addition to focusing on crime hot spots, law enforcement and opening the neighborhood operations center, the strategy includes the formation of a community advisory council and an “Integrated Community Support Desk” that brings together the expertise and resources of more than 30 community partners, the report says.

The report also says that the short-term benefits of the strategy include “an improved and nuanced understanding of community crime and disorder problems, and the mitigation of conditions that facilitate crime and disorder”, medium-term benefits of greater community security, greater trust and efficient use of information. the resources and personnel of the police service, among others.

The long-term benefits are expected to be “strong, productive relationships with community partners; healthy, resilient and safe communities; efficient and effective OPS service delivery that addresses community priorities; and trust in PAHO,” the report reads.

The report will be presented to the police services board on Monday.

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