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REPORT RAPPORT |
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REPORT RAPPORT |
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DATE:
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22 July 2013 |
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TO/DEST:
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Executive Director, Ottawa Police Services Board |
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FROM/EXP:
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Chief of Police, Ottawa Police Service |
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SUBJECT/OBJET:
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PERFORMANCE REPORT: SECOND QUARTER 2013
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RECOMMENDATION
BACKGROUND
The Ottawa Police Service (OPS) monitors and evaluates information on a variety of performance metrics. The Service also contributes data to a number of local and provincial initiatives, including the Ontario Municipal Benchmarking Initiative (OMBI) and the Municipal Performance Measurement Project (MPMP). As part of a cooperative effort in sharing performance data, performance indicators are first presented to the Board, then forwarded to the City of Ottawa for inclusion in its Quarterly Performance Reports.
DISCUSSION
As part of our commitment to measuring performance, the OPS continues to work with the City by providing selected metrics to be included in the quarterly performance reporting framework, including:
§ Total calls for police service;
§ Emergency response calls for service (Priority 1);
§ Response performance on Priority 1 calls (on-scene in 15 min, 95 percent of the time);
§ Service time (citizen-initiated, mobile response calls); and
§ Number of Criminal Code Offences per sworn officer.
This information has been regularly provided to the City’s Performance Measurement Branch. The measures are also included in the annual OMBI report and as part of the OPS performance measurement framework launched in 2008.
A new process for classifying calls for service came into effect 18 June 2012. The Call Response Protocol was updated to improve service to the community, while allowing for a clearer definition of call priorities, more efficient use of resources, and better coordination between the Communication Centre and Patrol Operations.
Second quarter metrics are now presented to the Board prior to being compiled with other city data for Council.
Total Calls for Service – All Priorities
The Ottawa Police receives an average of 379,300 calls for service annually. The number of calls in 2012 declined to 374,409 from 390,558 in 2011. This decline in 2012 resulted from a reduction in the number of alternative response calls handled by the OPS.
Calls in the second quarter of 2013 grew by 13 percent (10,977 more calls) compared to the first quarter, reflecting past trends in the first two quarters. However, through the first two quarters in 2013, the OPS received more than 171,000 calls and experienced a 10 percent decline from 2012, resulting from fewer non-emergency calls. The enhancements to the Call Response Protocol implemented in June 2012 will be evaluated in Q3 2013 after a full year of operations.
Emergency Calls for Service (Priority 1)
The Ottawa Police Call Response Protocol reflects the need to respond to citizens’ calls for assistance in a manner that reflects the seriousness of the incident, while weighing the interests of the safety of police officers and the general public. The circumstances surrounding the incident determine the priority level assigned, not the type of call.
A new process for classifying calls came into effect 18 June 2012. The Call Response Protocol was updated to improve service to the community, while allowing for a clearer definition of call priorities, more efficient use of resources, and better coordination between the Communication Centre and Patrol Operations.
In the second quarter, the Service received 1,176 calls classified as Priority 1. This includes all events involving a known imminent danger to life; actual or potential danger for bodily injury or death; crimes in progress or imminent. These calls include the known use of weapons or apparent life-threatening injuries, and all police officers assistance call.
With the change in the Call Response Protocol, no appropriate comparison can be undertaken at this point in time. The enhancements to the Call Management Protocol implemented in June 2012 will be evaluated in Q3 2013 after a full year of operations.
The OPS aims to respond to Priority 1 calls for service within 15 minutes, 95 percent of the time. Since the change to the Call Response Protocol, response performance has been over 90 percent. In the second quarter of the year, the organization met the response benchmark 96 percent of the time. As with Priority 1 call volumes, the change in the Call Response Protocol means that no appropriate comparison can be undertaken at this point in time. The enhancements to the Call Response Protocol implemented in June 2012 will be evaluated in Q3 2013 after a full year of operations.
Service Time (Citizen-Initiated, Mobile Response Calls)
Service Time refers to the cumulative amount of time (hours) officers spend responding to and dealing with calls for service from the public. The service time metric is used for operational planning and deployment of personnel. Reactive workload generally fluctuates seasonally throughout the year, with variations in climate influencing call volume and criminal behaviour.
Although there was a decline of four percent to 68,425 hours in the second quarter of 2013, service time increased by nearly six percent compared to Q1 mirroring an increase in the total call volume. The cumulative amount of hours officers spend on calls has fallen below the five year average of 72,116 in the second quarter.
Number of Criminal Code Offences per Police Officer
The number of reported Criminal Code of Canada incidents prorated over the number of sworn personnel is one indication of workload. This, of course, does not capture the entire scope of police operations, including proactive initiatives, assistance to victims of crime, traffic enforcement/Highway Traffic Act violations, street checks, and other community and public safety activities.
In Q2 2013, there were 60 more offences reported than the previous quarter; however the number of Criminal Code offences per officer declined by 11 percent to 6.5 offences per officer compared to 2012.
CONSULTATION
The performance metrics presented in this report and subsequently forwarded to Council are part of the Performance Measurement Framework developed with the assistance of a citizens’ advisory panel. The metrics are also reported to the public by way of the Ontario Municipal Benchmarking Initiative (OMBI).
FINANCIAL STATEMENT
There is no financial impact from this report.
CONCLUSION
The Board will continue to receive quarterly performance updates as part of the Performance Measurement Framework. Further development of the Monitoring Framework will take place under the Value priority (Goal 2.0) in the 2013-2015 Business Plan. As well, elements of the Balanced Scorecard reporting tool will be incorporated as it is deployed by the City. Ottawa Police representatives will continue to serve on the OMBI Police Expert Panel, the national Police Information and Statistics (POLIS) Committee, and other venues that contribute to the ongoing discussion, improvement, and transparency of police performance measures.
The enhancements to the Call Management Protocol implemented in June 2012 will be evaluated in Q3 2013 after a full year of operations.
(original signed by Acting Chief Keeley on behalf of)
Charles Bordeleau
Chief of Police
Responsible for report: Superintendent Terrance Cheslock
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This document contains information that reports on activities related to the Ottawa Police Service Business Plan