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REPORT RAPPORT |
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REPORT RAPPORT |
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DATE: |
10 June 2009 |
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TO: |
Executive Director, Ottawa Police Services Board |
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FROM: |
Chief of Police, Ottawa Police Service |
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SUBJECT: |
PARTNERSHIP
IN ACTION 2009 UPDATE: LET’S CHAT COFFEE SHOPS - MAY 2009 |
RECOMMENDATION
That the Ottawa Police Services Board
receive this report for information.
Further to the PIA 2009 report – Let’s Chat Coffee Shops launch and report to the Ottawa Police Services Board in April of this year, this post event report provides:
- An overview of the four coffee shop events;
- Highlights of key themes and discussions; and
- Next Steps.
The PIA approach has a decade of history to celebrate in 2009. Over the past ten years we have engaged the community on a range of important themes and topics including:
o Crime Prevention and Moving Forward under new leadership
With the 2010 – 2012 Business Plan on the horizon, Partnership in Action 2009 was an opportunity to engage community partners in a strategic and authentic way. Beyond consulting partners on a policing theme or issue, PIA invited community partners and residents to share and contribute to the future direction of the police service and planning for next business plan.
Meeting the diverse outreach and
registration goals for the Let’s Chat Coffee Shops, over 320 people attended
the four very successful coffee shops held at the following locations:
1. Monday,
May 11, 2009: Bayshore
Recreation Centre, Party Room - 2nd Floor, 98 Woodridge Crescent, 6:30 -
8:30 pm.
2. Wednesday,
May 13, 2009: Watson's Mill,
5525 Dickinson, Manotick, 6:30 - 8:30pm.
3. Thursday,
May 14, 2009: Hintonburg Community
Centre, 1064 Wellington Street, 7:00 - 9:00pm.
4. Friday, May 15, 2009: Ottawa City Hall, Jean Pigott Hall, 110 Laurier Ave. West, 12:00 - 2:00pm.
In addition for the first time,
community members were also able to contribute to the question “What does a
safer Ottawa for all look like to you?” in an online unfiltered format at www.ottawapolice.ca/PIA2009.
Event Objectives
· Celebrate and recognize Police Week and the tenth anniversary of PIA with community policing partners and residents;
· Showcase community partnerships;
· Inform and obtain feedback on the public survey findings;
· Allow community partners to contribute to the future of the police service and the next Ottawa Police Service Business Plan (2010-2012 Business Plan) by discussing the question “What does a safer Ottawa for all look like?”
Event Design Elements
Based on best practices, the following key elements were built into the design of the PIA 2009 Let’s Chat Coffee Shops and were instrumental to the success of the four coffee shops:
· Creating a welcoming and networking environment;
· Leadership Ottawa Guest Speakers (inspirational/leadership);
· Focussing attention on the Public Survey findings and Business Plan process;
· Community input and dialogue (round table discussions in a world café style complete with table “hosts” to provide dialogue assistance and facilitation);
· Celebration of successful partnerships/initiatives over the years;
· Free and informal “sessions” with online pre-registration encouraged in order allow for venue and catering arrangements;
· New community engagement initiatives: Online forum, open line discussions, blogging; and
· Strong community outreach and communications strategy with no paid advertising.
A total of over 320 people attended the four Let’s Chat Coffee Shops during Police Week in May. The extensive and far reaching outreach strategy brought a diversity of participants to each coffee shop that spanned different ages, gender, race, backgrounds, and abilities to name a few.
In addition a number of comments were received online from members of the community who wanted to participate virtually through an online unfiltered posting forum at ottawapolice.ca/PIA2009. This was a Police Service first that needs to be further explored and utilized to maximize online technology, social networking sites and online participation.
While the full report due out at the end of the month will provide additional details and themes from each of the coffee shops as well as a full list of comments, there are some themes common to all four coffee shops:
1. Long Term Police Presence and Engagement: Participants commented and wrote at every coffee shop that proactive police presence and involvement in needed in our neighbourhoods to build trust and relationships between police and the community. Some specific comments included:
a. We want our police officers to acknowledge us and say hello rather than just driving by. We want them to go out of their police cars.
b. Police officers need to participate in our neighbourhood events and activities. Not only would this build trust and awareness when enforcement is needed, but it would decrease police calls for service.
c. Community partners requested appropriate time to build relationships with officers who have a community-policing role before transferring them on to other duties.
d. Proactive policing needs to be recognized and valued by the police service.
2. Community Engagement and Partnerships: It was clear that the community must take ownership and get involved in working together for a safer community for all. Partnerships remain critical especially as it relates to certain groups such as seniors, homeless, women, people with disabilities, first nations/aboriginal, and youth. In particular, participants were vocal about the need for meaningful and continued dialogue.
3. Communications and Outreach: Participants talked about the need for enhanced communications and outreach – a key ingredient for partnerships – that utilizes recent technology in order to be able to share success stories, events and “what’s working” best practices.
4. Recruiting, promoting and retaining: Recruiting, promoting and retaining were common themes in all of the coffee shops.
a. Recruiting needs to reflect the diversity of our city;
b. Diversity in recruiting needs to also apply to promotions and be reflected throughout the ranks.
c. There was discussion about “retention”. Retention in this context is specifically tied to issues of tenure in a position – and in particular the CPC officers, neighbourhood officers, school resource officers and officers in units and sections that have partnership as a core element of their work.
5.
The need to focus on root causes
was raised at every session. The
feedback spoke about the need to go beyond simply reacting and enforcing – but
get to a point of eliminating the problem by dealing with the root cause of the
issue. Examples included: poverty,
housing, and violence against women in society.
PIA is a cornerstone of public consultation for the police service. Along with continual consultation at the district and neighbourhood level, PIA initiatives provide an opportunity to focus on particular themes to support the community-based policing approach. PIA is more than a traditional consultative event because it aims to identify and build upon community involvement and engagement within policing.
Partnership in Action funding is allocated in the Community Development Section operating budget, account# 126109-502330 which has an approved 2009 budget of $25,000.
Catering and Venue Rentals: $3,373.75
Event Design and Promotion 7,639.87
Program Facilitation and Reports 14,110.00
Total 25,123.62
Partnership in Action 2009 – Let’s Chat Coffee Shops was an opportunity for existing community-policing partners and residents to meet and discuss the future direction of the police service and contribute to next three-year business plan for the police service. It was another opportunity to build on our past and ongoing partnership work and share our partnership-building approaches, best practices, tools and resources.
The full PIA 2009 Let’s Chat Coffee Shop report is due out at the end of the month will provide additional details and themes from each of the coffee shops as well as a full list of comments. The Coffee Shop report, pictures, and next steps will also be available online at www.ottawapolice.ca/PIA2009.
(original signed by)
David Pepper, Director
Community Development & Corporate Communications
(original signed by)
Vern White
Chief of Police
