DATE:

28 July 2014

TO/DEST:

Executive Director, Ottawa Police Services Board

FROM/EXP:

Chief of Police, Ottawa Police Service

SUBJECT/OBJET:

OTTAWA POLICE SERVICE ANNUAL REPORT –
“2013: A YEAR IN REVIEW”

RECOMMENDATION

That the Ottawa Police Services Board receive this report for information.

BACKGROUND

Every year, the Ottawa Police Service Annual Report provides our organization with the opportunity to highlight its service to citizens, achievements and operational initiatives, along with performance figures.

The 2013 Annual Report: A Year in Review, forms a key part of the Ottawa Police Service’s (OPS) ongoing performance monitoring and complies with Provincial Adequacy Standards and Board Policy for annual reporting on organizational priorities and objectives.

DISCUSSION

The ‘2013: A Year in Review’ is an accessible community resource that highlights OPS successes and challenges. The Review provides a snapshot of the work accomplished in the past year and provides insight into what we do and how we are working with the community and our partners to improve public safety, reduce and prevent crime, assist victims of crime, use of policing tools and technology and investments in our members.. It highlights progress on how we addressed our three operational priorities – guns and gangs, violence against women, and traffic safety – and how we’re changing to better serve the citizens of Ottawa, with coverage on our Service Initiative. It also reflects our commitment to public accountability and transparency; providing indicators of police performance.

The Ottawa Police Service is always looking for ways to improve service to Ottawa residents. One of the ways we can achieve this is by monitoring our performance and crime statistics. Performance indicators help us direct our resources to where they are needed most in the community.

A range of performance figures and key statistics are presented, including use of force, public complaints, staff complement, and the cost of policing. The inclusion of the Crime, Police, and Traffic Statistics Report -- citywide and by ward – also provides residents and visitors with a better understanding of crime and road safety in Ottawa. The 2013 Annual Report and the Crime, Police and Traffic Statistics Report are available in French and English at ottawapolice.ca; English versions are attached as Annex A and Annex B respectively.

Some of the key highlights of the report are:

Calls for Service

The Service received nearly 854,000 calls in 2013, which included info-desk enquiries, call centre communications, switchboard, as well as 911 and 613-230-6211 emergency calls. Out of this total, 354,450 calls were entered into the OPS dispatch system (CAD), a decline of five percent (5%) between 2012 and 2013.

There were also 259,000 calls in 2013 that required an on scene police presence. From these calls, nearly 5,000 were assessed as Priority 1 (imminent danger to life), in which the organization achieved the response performance standard, responding within 15 minutes 95 percent of the time.

Crime Statistics

Criminal Code of Canada (CCC) offences for the City of Ottawa and 23 City Wards are detailed in Annex B. The information contained has been categorized according to the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Survey 2.2, which is consistent with the methodology used by the Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics (CCJS). The information provides residents and visitors with a better understanding of crime and road safety in Ottawa.

The level of reported crime in Ottawa dropped by 11 percent in 2013 to 32,472 offences (excluding traffic), reinforcing Ottawa as one of the safest large urban centres in Canada. A 16 percent decline in property related offences (Theft $5,000 and under (-16%), Break and Enter (-20%), Fraud (-13%), and Mischief (-14%)) drove the decline last year. The solvency rate for all reported offences remained at 38 percent in 2013.

The report shows an increase in violent crime of 10%. This increase is largely attributed to a procedural change in how officers code and clear partner-related assaults. This has affected the year over year comparison. Incidents of assault reported to the OPS declined by 6 percent.

The OPS monitors and evaluates information on a variety of performance metrics. These are presented to the Ottawa Police Services Board and forwarded to the City of Ottawa for inclusion in its Quarterly Performance Reports. The Service also contributes data to local and provincial initiatives, including the Ontario Municipal Benchmarking Initiative (OMBI) and the Municipal Performance Measurement Project (MPMP).

In order to increase awareness, expand and diversify a broader audience, and to encourage the community to visit the online version at ottawapolice.ca, an advertising campaign will be launched through print and/or online media such as Le Droit and the local community newspapers to reach the entire City including rural residents.

We will continue to promote and distribute the 2013: A Year in Review through city councillors, internal networks (Community Police Centre Officers, Diversity and Race Relations, School Resource Officers, Victim Crisis Unit), email lists, community networks and partners (including COMPAC, Ottawa Neighbourhood Watch Executive Committee, GLBT, and the Youth Advisory Committee), list servers and bulletin boards such as Ottawa’s Community 2-1-1. The website has been designed so that the entire site or individual articles can be shared through a range of social networking sites including Facebook and Twitter. For those wishing a print copy, there is the ability to download the Review in .pdf format.

EXISTING POLICY

The Year in Review forms part of the Ottawa Police Service’s ongoing performance monitoring. It fulfils the requirements of the Provincial Adequacy Standards for annual reporting on organizational priorities and objectives and the Ottawa Police Services Board Policy AI-011 - Framework for Annual Reporting.

CONSULTATION

Not applicable.

FINANCIAL STATEMENT

Not applicable.

CONCLUSION

The ‘2013: A Year in Review’ highlights accomplishments of the Ottawa Police over the past year that reflect actions taken to protect the safety, security and quality of life in the City. The annual report also highlights engagement efforts with our community partners, investments made in our members, and how members have made a difference in our community.

The Review demonstrates how we’re changing to serve citizens better and working to keep the community safe. It provides detailed indicators of police performance for 2013 and a full report on crime, police, and traffic statistics for the City and by Ward. The data presented in this report assists the OPS and the community’s efforts to enhance community problem-solving efforts and reflects the ongoing commitment of the OPS to be accountable and transparent to Ottawa residents.

(Original signed by)

Charles Bordeleau

Chief of Police

Responsible for report: Supt. Cheslock

Annex A: 2013 Annual Report (EN, FR)

Annex B: 2013 Crime, Police, and Traffic Statistics Report (EN, FR)

This document contains information that reports on activities related to the 2013-2015 Business Plan