Members: Ms. E. Buckingham, Councillor J. Legendre, Mr. J. McCombie

REGRETS

Mr. D. Adam, Regional Chair B. Chiarelli

ITEMS OF BUSINESS

Vice Chair Baskerville thanked residents for attending the meeting. He believed the size of the crowd was indicative of the community’s concern and interest in policing and he hoped the evening would address any concerns they may have. He invited Mayor Murray to make some opening remarks.

On behalf of the Village of Rockcliffe Park and the communities of Manor Park, New Edinburgh and Lindenlea, Mayor Murray welcomed Board members and congratulated them on their continued practice of reaching out to communities through these meetings. He indicated that prior to amalgamation, the Village of Rockcliffe Park received policing services from the OPP for thirty years. In 1995, the Village enthusiastically made the change to Regional policing and built a station to OCRPS specifications, at a cost of $200,000, to house a detachment of five officers. In the four years since amalgamation, the Rockcliffe detachment has gone from five officers to one while costs for policing have gone from $400,000 to almost $600,000 annually. Mayor Murray noted recent rumours suggest that the sole remaining officer, with whom the community works very well, may be removed from his post, leaving the Village with an empty station. He hoped that wouldn’t happen.

He recalled that at the time of amalgamation, the Village of Rockcliffe Park was viewed as an ideal community and the type of community policing model that had been developed in the Village reflected what the Police Service wanted to continue. He hoped the Police Service and the Board would remember that and consider the fact that Rockcliffe Park has responded well to any directions given. He also noted the community benefits from a very active volunteer group and a well developed neighbourhood watch program. He believed the low crime rates in the Village are a reflection of the efforts of the Police Service and the hard working volunteers in the community. In closing, he thanked the Board for coming to Rockcliffe Park and urged them to remember his comments during their deliberations.

Vice Chair Baskerville thanked Mayor Murray for his welcoming remarks. He noted the mayor raised some concerns and he hoped those would be addressed by the staff presentation. He invited Chief Ford to make a few comments.

Chief Ford thanked Vice Chair Baskerville for giving him an opportunity to speak to the residents in attendance and he thanked Mayor Murray for his opening remarks. He referenced recent media articles and concerns expressed with regard to the community police centre (CPC) in Rockcliffe Park. He stated the Police Service has no intention of closing the Rockcliffe Park CPC nor is Constable Mosco leaving his post. He explained the operational review of community police centres the Service has undertaken is to develop a standard of operation, and has nothing to do with closing them.

Superintendent L. Smith, in charge of East Division, explained East Division incorporates seven districts as well as the Macdonald-Cartier Airport policing unit. Five District Inspectors share command responsibility for these districts.

Superintendent Smith indicated the delivery of policing services in Rockcliffe Park reflects the new district policing model implemented by the Ottawa-Carleton Regional Police Service. The implementation of the service delivery model requires an evolutionary approach over a broad time-frame and change based on maximizing effectiveness and efficiency while continuing to provide a quality service to the community. Consistent with the Service’s values and mission statement, it is imperative to undertake internal operational reviews to re-assess activity in various areas and retain those which advance progress in the achievement of identified priorities. These priorities include a dedication to the safety and security of the community, working cooperatively with members of the community and providing quality service in an equitable and accessible manner. She noted that in the last couple of weeks and on the weekend, there have been rumors circulating concerning the community police centre and its impending closure. She thanked Chief Ford for re-iterating that the police centre is not doomed to closure. It is an active community centre that is well respected within the community and it will continue to thrive.

Superintendent Smith listed the topics to be presented: a division and district overview; a discussion of the problem-solving initiatives undertaken in the community; an overview of some other activities taking place in the area; highlights of the Rockcliffe survey results; a synopsis of the Partnership in Action initiative; and a question period.

To begin with the division and district overview, Superintendent Smith listed key milestones: the integration of the Regional Police command, operations and administrative structure which is an on-going endeavour; the smooth transition from OPP policing; and the roll-out of the new district level policing model. She noted there have been a number of key accomplishments and benefits from amalgamation. There are fewer senior managers, resulting in a re-allocation to the front-line. From a public perspective, there has been a seamless change-over in delivery with one region-wide phone number to contact the police, a common shift schedule for all patrol officers, and the implementation of a centralized command. The amalgamation has also allowed for improved administrative operations with a centralized fleet, one pay system, fewer collective agreements, a single regional recruitment process, and a strengthened financial base due to a one-time amalgamation savings of over $5.4M and $6.2M in provincial down-loading and social contract exit costs.

Superintendent Smith explained the seven districts within the division are served by three facilities: the Blair Road facility serves districts 31, 36 and 35; the Leitrim facility serves districts 32, 33 and 34; and the seventh district reports out of the Elgin Street facility. District 36 incorporates part of the City of Gloucester and includes Manor Park, New Edinburgh and the Village of Rockcliffe Park.

There are three components to the divisional/district set up: divisional support provides services related to patrol, traffic enforcement, differential police response, and criminal investigative services; divisional command supports the district inspector and incorporates the NCO’s, the supervisors, traffic enforcement officers, school resource officers, break and enter front-line investigators, general criminal investigations and patrol/emergency response officers who provide 24 hour / 7 day service; and the central support function includes the services of major crime investigators, youth services, the tactical team, crowd control, the canine squad, marine patrol, sexual assault/child abuse which incorporates domestic and partner assault, the underwater squad, the drugs squad, auto theft, generalized traffic services; a volunteer coordinator, victim services, and other specialized central support services that can be accessed by the districts.

Superintendent Smith introduced Inspector H. Durand, the inspector in charge of District 36; Staff Sergeant G. Savage who has taken over as Acting Inspector while Inspector Durand is on secondment to Central Support Services as Acting Superintendent; Senior Constable T. Mosco who is the Rockcliffe CPC officer; and Staff Sergeant Bill Shepheard. She also noted the community is served by three neighbourhood officers, Constable L. Lafleur, Senior Constable M. Cartright and Constable J.C. Charbonneau.

Based on 1998 data from Statistics Canada, Superintendent Smith noted region-wide policing activity indicates crime indices are at their lowest level in 5 years per 100,000 population. In particular she noted property and violence offences are down 17% and 10% respectively, motor theft is down 12%, break and enters are down 25%, fraud is down 28%, and thefts are down 14%. She indicated this is a country-wide trend reported by Statistics Canada over the last five years.

She stated that in the Village of Rockcliffe Park, there were over 500 calls for service in 1999 with the top five calls being for: alarms, which represented 205 calls; suspicious persons, for which the police received 29 calls; noise complaints, which accounted for 26 calls; found property, which represented 26 calls; and disturbances, for which there were 22 calls. Region-wide there were 206,876 calls for service with 12,105 calls coming from District 36 and 544 from the Village of Rockcliffe Park. To highlight the level of service provided by the Regional Police, Superintendent Smith noted in particular that a disturbance call on Beechwood Avenue was responded to by five patrol officers, one Sergeant and three canine officers, an alarm call on Park Road was responded to by one Sergeant and two Constables, and a call for assistance to remove an unwanted person from a Lansdowne Road address was attended by four patrol officers.

Inspector H. Durand indicated neighbourhood officers, crime analysts and specialty units are involved in a number of high-profile and successful initiatives to deal with such problems as graffiti/property damage, youth/disturbances, and bike patrols. In particular he noted "Project Taggers" was initiated to deal with problems of graffiti and property damage and resulted in arrests, charges being laid, and a reduction in graffiti. Through this initiative offenders paid restitution and have become involved in community service. He explained project "Rockcliffe" was an initiative to deal with graffiti that appear throughout the Village on telephone and mail boxes, sidewalks, bus stops and private residences. Police officers worked with volunteers and the local utilities to map locations and conduct a clean-up. The project resulted in a steady reduction in graffiti, greater community awareness, identification of some offenders and police contact with families. A third initiative to deal with graffiti/property damage problems took place at the Innes Park apartment complex where there were reports of mischief and disorderly youth. Meetings and a partnership with the complex’s security personnel resulted in reduced calls for service and greater contact with the community.

Inspector Durand listed some of the initiatives undertaken by the Service to deal with youth and disturbances such as: "Youth on the Move"; summer bicycle patrols; transitway station safety audits; and the revitalization of the Manor Park neighbourhood watch program.

He highlighted a number of other activities occurring in District 36 such as: a two week red light safety blitz in addition to regular traffic enforcement; monitoring of problem areas; information displays; and neighbourhood watch initiatives. He noted that during the red light safety blitz, over 500 tickets were issued.

Inspector Durand indicated community volunteers have been an integral part of the Service’s successes in the district. They focus on crime prevention efforts and work with CPC officers such as Constable Mosco. There is on-going community consultation, awareness-building and partnerships through frequent safety presentations/lectures in the community, a false alarm reduction initiative in the Village, a neighbourhood watch program, home security checks, and liaison/meetings with the business community, residents’ groups and services clubs.

After district re-deployment, the approach is to promote stability and continuity through on-going additional officer training, balancing skills and experience within the districts, retention with a core group and experience, and fine-tuning of district operations on an on-going basis.

Superintendent Smith presented the Rockcliffe Park results of the 1998 survey which was conducted as a follow-up to a 1995 poll. She explained the results are based on feedback from 66 of 160 randomly selected homes, representing a 41% response rate.

When asked whether they perceived that there was more or less crime in their neighbourhood, 79% of respondents believed there was less in their neighbourhood than in other areas of the Region. 19% of respondents believed crime had increased, while 49% felt it remained the same and 8% thought it had decreased. Everyone surveyed felt safe walking alone in their neighbourhood during the day but confidence dropped by 16% when asked whether they felt safe walking alone at night. Superintendent Smith noted this is consistent with other neighbourhoods within the Region.

Further survey results rated whether or not police were seen as doing a good job. Most of these areas show a moderate drop which could be explained in part by the changes in the service delivery model related to telephone response and differential police response options. Superintendent Smith indicated this holds true to the general pattern in other areas of the Region. The top policing concerns identified in the survey were theft from vehicles, theft of bicycles, break and enter, poor street lighting, vandalism, and speeding cars. She noted that in every one of those areas, the level of concern was down from that reported in the 1995 survey.

When asked about their perception of the number of officers seen in their neighbourhood, almost 70% of respondents felt the number of officers was just right, whereas in 1995 75% said there were too few police officers seen in the neighbourhood. With regard to police performance, between 85% and 97% of respondents see police as being both courteous and competent. She noted that 47% of respondents indicated they were not in agreement with the change-over from OPP to Regional policing, while 32% were in agreement and 21% were unsure.

In response to a two-part question with regard to changes in the quality of police service since amalgamation, 47% of respondents indicated no perceived difference, while 28% said they had noticed a change and 25% were unsure. Of the 28% who noted a difference, 67% felt the quality had deteriorated while 14% felt it had improved and 19% were unsure. Superintendent Smith indicated these responses were somewhat expected given that 47% of respondents did not agree with the change-over from OPP policing.

To conclude the staff presentation, Superintendent Smith highlighted the Partnership in Action (PIA) initiative which is a key strategy of the OCRPS to build relationships and partnerships with the communities it serves. To that end, 50 people participated in a roundtable which was held on 4 November 1999 and which resulted in the development of some best practice initiatives. A full-day PIA assembly took place on 27 November 1999. With over 300 people in attendance, it featured a keynote address and 24 workshops. Participants signed up for theme workshops that revolved around community policing, traffic, prostitution, hate crimes, youth and race relations. There were also district specific workshops to deal with issues of volunteers and community involvement, police presence and visibility, positive approaches to dealing with youth, awareness and communications.

The next steps in the PIA initiative is to develop a community workplan within 15 districts, continue community consultation, develop district networks and contacts, develop "virtual community police centres" on www.ocpolice.com, and publish a PIA bulletin with community input. The PIA initiative is being spear-headed by Mr. D. Pepper, Director of Community Development with the OCRPS.

In closing, Superintendent Smith stated her firm belief that the direction of service delivery and the continued augmentation of the district policing model will encourage and further the development of strategic partnerships within communities, strengthen the ties of police to their communities, and continue to build a cooperative, responsive service sensitive to community needs. A combination of successful problem-solving initiatives undertaken by neighbourhood officers in partnership with the community, the fact that the community sees the police as having a good visibility within the neighbourhood, and the fact that the community’s over-all concern with respect to policing has dropped, are all positive indicators that the OCRPS has successfully met the policing needs within the Region and in particular within the Village of Rockcliffe Park.

Before moving on to public delegations, Vice Chair Baskerville invited residents to ask questions of staff with regard to the presentation.

A resident referenced Chief Ford’s earlier assurances that the Rockcliffe Park Community Police Centre will remain open and wondered how many officers will be manning the Centre and what its hours of operation will be.

Superintendent Smith stated there is one dedicated CPC officer at the Centre who works day shifts, Monday to Friday. Augmenting that are emergency response officers who respond to calls for service, as well as patrol officers and neighbourhood officers who make regular patrols n the community, and traffic services officers who do traffic enforcement. Through all of these, Rockcliffe Village and the surrounding communities have access to policing services 24 hours a day, seven days a week. She assured residents that whenever Constable Mosco is off on any type of extended leave, he will be replaced by another officer.

Mr. J. Verdun, a resident of Lindenlea, noted the survey results presented were specifically for the Village of Rockcliffe Park and he wondered if such data is available for other communities. Superintendent Smith explained it was a Region-wide survey. Though she did not have the results for surrounding communities with her, she indicated they are available.

Mr. M. Reed, a resident of the Village of Rockcliffe Park, believed people don’t feel safe walking in their neighbourhood at night because of dangerous drivers and lack of police enforcement. He indicated that during his evening walks, he and a neighbour frequently witness traffic violations and speeding. He noted that last year, from mid-January until Constable Mosco went on vacation, he did not see an Ottawa-Carleton Police vehicle in the Village during his evening walks though he frequently encounters RCMP officers in the area. However, he noted that while Constable Mosco was away on leave, the Village was patrolled regularly. He maintained, residents do not see OCRPS vehicles patrolling the Village and he assumed the same was true for neighbouring communities.

Vice Chair Baskerville noted Mr. Reed’s obvious interest in his community and suggested it is people like him, who walk through the community on a regular basis, who see what is really going on. He suggested that Mr. Reed and others like him contact their community officer, make their concerns known and relate information with regard to incidents occurring in their community. He noted all community police centres depend on the efforts of volunteers in order for community policing to work.

Mr. T. P. Hurn noted from the presentation that approachability was down from 91% to 79%, he wondered if the Service had identified any specific reasons for that change and suggested it may reflect the change in uniform. He felt the new, darker OCRPS uniforms resemble American assault uniforms in that they seem rather oppressive. Superintendent Smith indicated that based on the survey results, the Service will be reviewing its short-comings with a view to improving in those specific areas. She indicated the survey did not allow for expounding on some of those areas therefore, the potential reasons for the difference are unknown.

Mr. B. Shankman, a resident of Lindenlea, noted many of the survey questions were subjective. He argued that people do not necessarily know if crimes are being committed in their neighbourhoods. He believed there is poor communication between the Police Service and the communities they serve. He felt that a greater awareness of crime statistics would increase the public’s defense mechanisms. Chief Ford indicated the Service publishes statistics in the Ottawa Sun on a weekly basis each Sunday. The two-page lay-out outlines what crimes have occurred and where they’ve taken place. He noted some community newspapers have also chosen to publish this information, which is available to all media outlets. Chief Ford indicated the information will also be added to the OCRPS website on a monthly basis.

In response to a further comment from Mr. Shankman, Vice Chair Baskerville indicated his point was well taken. He believed it is always a concern of the Service that information be available to the public. He stated the Ottawa Sun has been very helpful by publishing statistics on a weekly basis. Now that residents know where to find the information, he hoped they would take advantage of it. He noted residents can also contact their CPC to make specific inquiries.

Mr. A. Stacey, a resident of the Village of Rockcliffe Park, expressed his relief in hearing that the Rockcliffe Park CPC will remain open and staffed, though he wondered how secure residents could feel about this. Chief Ford stated he would be meeting with his successor in preparation for his June retirement and would be stressing the importance of maintaining the Rockcliffe Park CPC. He re-iterated the Service has undertaken an operational review of community police centres but such reviews are a common practice and are intended to help the OCRPS ensure the community is receiving the services it needs. He assured residents that, not only would the Service not move the Rockcliffe Park CPC, but he believed the community’s elected representatives would not allow it. He noted Board Member Legendre is very interested in this community and frequently discusses it with him, which is how it should be. In closing, he surmised that ten years from now, the Rockcliffe Park CPC will still be where it is today and will still have a dedicated officer working in it.

Ms. G. Kerr, a resident of New Edinburgh, wondered if the communities of Lindenlea, Manor Park and New Edinburgh could officially call on the services of the Rockcliffe Park CPC. For example, she wondered if these communities could call on the services of Constable Mosco to assist them in setting up neighbourhood watch programs.

Superintendent Smith explained the Rockcliffe CPC and the Cyrville CPC are the two centres local to District 36 and no CPC is unique to the community where it is located. For example, the Rockcliffe Park CPC takes reports from across the region if required and its officers respond Region-wide just as any other CPC will assist in Rockcliffe Park if required. She confirmed, the communities of Lindenlea, Manor Park and New Edinburgh are welcome to call on the services of Constable Mosco and the Rockcliffe Park CPC.

Vice Chair Baskerville thanked the residents for their interest and encouraged them to raise their questions at any time by calling the Chief of Police, their Superintendent, their District Inspector, or their community police officer. He indicated that is the process by which the Board and the Service hope to make community policing work.

Mr. King stated the Village of Rockcliffe Park entered into the amalgamation of police services reluctantly. He maintained residents of the Village were perfectly happy with the services provided by the OPP, a mutually satisfactory relationship that had existed for 50 years. He believed that since amalgamation, the level of police service has fallen dramatically while the cost has gone up. In closing, Mr. King quoted Mr. Frank Ling, Chairman of the Citizens’ Advisory Committee of Rockcliffe Park: "Rockcliffe residents have been well satisfied with the policing they have received from the OPP. Policing services have been provided by a Sergeant and four senior constables who have been permanently assigned to the Rockcliffe detachment. The policing model that has been generated within the Village is focussed on crime and accident prevention and, based on the record, has been extremely successful. This is the model of community policing that Rockcliffe would like to continue to receive from the Regional Police Services Board." He stressed this remains the determined goal and he asked that the Board acknowledge the Village’s position and direct the OCRPS to fulfill the promises made at the time of amalgamation.

Ms. A. Green, Volunteer Coordinator, Rockcliffe Park Community Police Centre, was very pleased to hear that the Rockcliffe Park CPC is safe. Having grown up in Manor Park and Rockcliffe and being a volunteer at the Rockcliffe Park CPC, she indicated her main concern was that the centre remain at its present location. The area served by this centre is demographically homogenous and residents tend to have a long-term commitment to their neighbourhoods. It’s not unusual for residents to stay in these neighbourhoods for most of their life-span. They enjoy a shared history and form a very close community. Ms. Green believed this sense of community extends to the relationships with local police officers, therefore, it is invaluable to have staff in place on a long-term basis. This allows officers to become familiar with the issues that concern residents, the types of incidents that occur in the area, and the geographical lay-out of the streets. She maintained this also leads to strong partnerships between the Police Service, local businesses and residents. A motivated community provides extra eyes, ears and information for the Police Service.

The Rockcliffe Park CPC provides 24-hour access to police assistance through a telephone located near its front door which links directly to dispatchers at headquarters. It also provides easy, non-threatening access to police assistance, and programs can easily be tailored to the community they serve.

Ms. Green explained CPC volunteers live in the community and are therefore familiar with the area and its issues. Volunteers are trained to take some police reports and their presence allows the Constable to attend calls and leave the centre in order to patrol. Volunteers are also trained in CPR and in conducting home security evaluations. The centre’s volunteers perform various tasks such as: bicycle registrations; Sunday cycles on the Rockcliffe Parkway; summer and early winter property and hazard checks; maintaining a database of emergency equipment owned by residents; assisting with an annual bike safety rodeo; and welcoming trick or treaters on Halloween. During the ice storm, the centre was staffed extended hours each day in order to field calls from residents and out of town relatives who couldn’t reach family members. Volunteers attended the homes of some seniors to check on them and when national defense troops were deployed in the area to aid in clean-up, police centre volunteers supervised the community hall as well as the centre, providing coffee, shelter, and helping to serve lunch to approximately 75 workers and military troops for five days. Ms. Green believed that as municipal offices cease to function, the centre will remain as an information source to members of the public and a great resource for the community. The confidence and loyalty inspired by community police officers is the best publicity the Police Service could aspire to and it certainly exists in Rockcliffe Park.

Chair Kreling arrived at this point in the meeting. He apologized for arriving late and thanked Vice Chair Baskerville for chairing the first part of the meeting.

Ms. F. Thompson, Citizens’ Advisory Committee on Police Services, explained that although the Citizens’ Advisory Committee lost direct jurisdiction at the time of amalgamation, it has maintained a regular, watchful and active management role in the policing of Rockcliffe Park.

Ms. Thompson indicated her interest in the work of this committee rises out of her background in criminology and her research into early policing in Ontario. She believed community involvement in policing is often thought of as a new strategy but community participation in maintaining the public peace has long historical roots. She noted most of the residents in attendance came to address the loss of the Community Police Centre and its resident officer. Even though Chief Ford has assured the community that is not going to happen, she felt residents should still be mindful that it is possible and that it could take place in the future. She stressed the importance of community policing in communities such as Rockcliffe Park, Lindenlea, Manor Park and New Edinburgh.

Ms. Thompson believed residents want to keep the centrally located CPC and its resident constable because they act as a cohesive force in the community. She noted the CPC is very accessible and is used by everyone in the area. She extended a welcome to residents of the surrounding communities to use the centre. She stressed the importance of the resident constable, stating he can address problems and concerns that typify a particular community and can tailor his professional support to initiate and help proliferate preventative programs. Having a resident officer and a centrally located CPC are also important for police visibility and their presence results in a sense of security for residents. Visibility is enhanced by the increasing number of volunteers who provide contact points for the greater community. All these things put a personal face on the institution of policing. The interactive relationship between officers and the community they serve builds confidence and cooperation and results in a higher comfort level for residents.

Ms. Thompson indicated though Rockcliffe Park, Manor Park, Lindenlea and New Edinburgh are low-needs areas as far as policing is concerned, they sit adjacent to some of the highest-needs areas in the Region. Research shows that high-needs areas tend to bleed into low-needs areas along boundary lines and roads, therefore, all residents need to be mindful of the risks. She believed it is important that Constable Mosco have more support than he currently receives because he has to look after a greater area. She wondered if it is possible for one constable to police an area that size. She felt that without preventative programs and community involvement, the community is in danger of losing its low-needs status.

Councillor J. Dobell, Village of Rockcliffe Park, thanked the Board for coming to the Village of Rockcliffe Park and Chief Ford for reassuring residents with regard to the status of their CPC. She noted Rockcliffe has participated in community policing for over fifty years with the OPP. They developed a model which residents would now like to help expand to the neighbouring communities. At the heart of that model is the Citizens’ Advisory Committee which meets with the Senior Constable approximately once per month to review public concerns and calls for service in the area. She believed this relates to an earlier comment with regard to communication. She maintained that unless there is a timely and precise exchange of information between the police and community, you can’t develop strategies to deal with problems at an early stage. For this reason, she suggested it is perhaps not enough to publish crime statistics in the Ottawa Sun or in community newspapers. She believed some kind of collaborative meeting has to take place between the police and citizens of a community so that there can be a dialogue and an exchange of information.

Councillor Dobell indicated it has been Rockcliffe Park’s experience that in order to have a strong neighbourhood watch program, one has to have strong police support and dedicated community volunteers. She believed that to implement such programs in Lindenlea, Manor Park and New Edinburgh will require the work and dedication of more than one officer. Councillor Dobell indicated the community of Rockcliffe Park would like to work with its surrounding communities in a more structured way and discuss the expansion of the Citizens’ Advisory Committee so that the various communities can get together and share concerns. She hoped there might be more volunteers in the CPC so that its hours could be expanded. She indicated residents were concerned by the news that the Service had imposed a moratorium on new volunteers. She believed this was due to the on-going review and hoped the moratorium would be lifted once the review is completed. She noted new volunteers will be needed if the services of the CPC are to be increased and neighbourhood watch programs implemented in the surrounding communities. She felt that if the OCRPS is truly committed to community policing, more resources must be dedicated to it. She believed the Service should develop some bench marks for the various preventative programs developed through community policing. She noted the Village of Rockcliffe Park has had some success with its home security evaluation program. She did not believe community policing can be achieved for the communities of Rockcliffe Park, Manor Park, Lindenlea and New Edinburgh with the staff resources currently allocated and she hoped the Service would rethink the staffing needs of the Rockcliffe Park CPC.

Councillor R. Cannings, City of Ottawa, suggested the Service’s commitment to keeping the Community Police Centre open was a red herring because he believed the office has been emasculated to the point of becoming irrelevant. He felt what is important is to have staff available. He argued that when the OPP were policing the Village of Rockcliffe Park, there were five officers serving 750 homes. There is now one, virtually part-time officer, serving 4,000 homes. He believed the staff reduction in Rockcliffe Park is a betrayal of trust on the part of the Regional Police Service.

Councillor Cannings stated as the elected representative for this community, he wrote to Chief Ford with regard to prostitution problems along Beechwood Avenue and received a response four months later. He indicated he immediately wrote him back suggesting he either fire his staff or get a little more sensitive to the needs of the community. He also recalled that when he chaired the Prostitution Task Force for the City of Ottawa, the Task Force worked very hard to rid the Lower-Town area of its prostitution problem. After months of negotiations with City Living and the OCRPS, a police centre was established in the heart of the red-light district. A month after the election, when he was no longer Chair of the Task Force, the office was closed. He argued the Rockcliffe Park CPC does not have the man-power to serve Lindenlea, Manor Park and New Edinburgh in addition to Rockcliffe Park. He believed residents of this community should state emphatically that while they appreciate having the office open, having it manned by a part-time officer is not satisfactory.

Chief Ford stated Constable Mosco is a full-time officer, assigned to the Rockcliffe Park CPC on a full-time basis, and his services are supplemented by those of neighbourhood officers and 24-hour emergency response services from the OCRPS. He noted the OPP did not provide 24-hour service. The Ottawa Police Service used to respond to calls in Rockcliffe during the night when OPP officers were not available.

Chief Ford referenced an earlier comment with respect to the presence of RCMP officers in the neighbourhood and stated the OCRPS have a very close working relationship with the RCMP. The two organizations work closely together to make the community safer.

With regard to the policing centre in Lower-Town, Chief Ford indicated that it was not closed, as implied by Councillor Cannings, but relocated to a better, more accessible location within the same community. The Centre was originally located on a second floor, above a store and was not very visible or easily accessible. In consultation with the community and the area’s elected representatives, Regional Councillor M. Meilleur and City of Ottawa Councillor S. Emard-Chabot, the centre was relocated to a street-level location two blocks away.

Member Legendre indicated he too is an elected representative for the communities of New Edinburgh, Manor Park, Lindenlea, and Rockcliffe Park and, even before he became a member of the Police Board, as their Regional representative he has been involved in ensuring their level of policing service does not suffer as a consequence of amalgamation. He acknowledged that residents in this community are paying more for policing services, but explained that has nothing to do with the Police Service and has everything to do with the way the taxation system is now structured region-wide. He noted the same thing happened with garbage collection. He indicated he has been vigilantly watching the delivery of policing services and is a member of the Citizens’ Advisory Committee. He explained that when a transition occurs, there is a running-in period needed to find a new stable level and he believed the Police Service is still fine-tuning its system and trying to find that stable level. He understood some of the concerns in the Village, particularly considering so many people thought they would be losing the CPC. He expressed his shock upon hearing the rumour of the impending closure of the CPC and stated the story is completely contrary to the policies of the Board and what the Police Service has been working towards in terms of community policing. He apologized for the concerns that were unnecessarily raised in the minds of residents and suggested the rumour may have, to some extent, undermined residents’ confidence in a service that they should have confidence in. He believed that confidence needs to be earned and that the Police Service is doing its best to earn it. He suggested that if the Rockcliffe Park CPC is going to serve a greater community, it may very well be that more human resources are needed. However, he believed the crime statistics speak very well to the quality of policing the community is currently receiving. In closing, he committed himself to continuing to monitor the service very carefully and to improving it if possible.

Ms. N. Belovic, Manor Park Community Association, believed that as funding is being cut in every sector of life, community police centres become increasingly important because of volunteers. She thanked Councillor Dobell for contacting the neighbouring community associations and inviting them to participate in the meeting with the Board. She indicated the residents of Manor Park have never felt the CPC in Rockcliffe Park was theirs to use except for overtures by Constable Mosco. She stated he has been more than willing to attend meetings in Manor Park to help the community implement a neighbourhood watch program. Residents in Manor Park have not been fully aware of some of the community policing initiatives in Rockcliffe Park and she believed they would be happy to work with them to help keep the CPC open. She suggested that residents in Manor Park have the same concerns as those in other communities and she believed that neighbourhood watch programs and volunteerism can help alleviate many of those concerns. Ms. Belovic suggested a bit of money spent publicizing the services offered at the CPC, perhaps through a flyer distributed to all homes in the area, would go a long way towards dispensing information and gathering people to become involved in community policing. She also believed an increased police presence would be an improvement.

Mr. J. Verdun, Lindenlea Community Association, expressed his agreement with most of the comments made by previous speakers, adding that he found Councillor Dobell’s comments highly encouraging. He indicated that though the Village of Rockcliffe Park may have been well served by the OPP, Lindenlea and the surrounding communities were subject to jurisdictional boundaries from which some irritants benefited. He believed residents of Lindenlea have perceived a better service since the amalgamation of policing services. He indicated the notions of a citizens’ advisory committee and volunteer services were new to him.

Mr. Verdun noted that when he walks his son to the Rockcliffe school, he sees a cheery, approachable police presence there every day, whereas when he walks his daughter to her school bus stop on the corner of Lindenlea, he has never encountered a police presence there. He indicated this is the sort of service he would like to see wholly encompassed into full partnership with the police centre. He re-iterated, considering the size of the area to be served by the CPC, it would be important to have more than one officer. He noted the difficulty in measuring the effectiveness of preventative programs but argued that even if crimes were eliminated, that would not justify reducing human resources.

Ms. G. Kerr, New Edinburgh Community Alliance, indicated that like Manor Park, the residents of New Edinburgh did not know they could access the services of the Rockcliffe Park CPC. She felt that was very good news and hoped she could take information back to her community and persuade one or two residents to become volunteers at the centre. She believed community policing is extremely important in preventing crime, keeping communities safe and keeping people in touch with one another. She indicated the New Edinburgh Community Alliance voted to support the CPC remaining open and she was pleased to hear that not only would it remain open but that residents of New Edinburgh might be an active part of it in the future.

Mr. T. P. Hurn, indicated he recently had to call the police on behalf of his 81-year old mother. Despite the fact that the Region of Ottawa-Carleton has the second highest concentration of seniors in Canada, he noted from the presentation that there was no mention of services to the elderly. He believed that just as working with children, the Service needs officers who are trained to deal with the elderly. He hoped that by next year such a presentation would include, in the list of services offered by the OCRPS, a seniors’ unit.

Deputy Chief Bevan noted Mr. Hurn’s comments are very timely. The Service has been discussion issues surrounding elder abuse and services to the elderly. He felt it has become abundantly clear, based on the demographics of the Region, that the Service will have to change its way of thinking and the perception around service delivery to people with special needs, people who perceive their situation and their safety differently than they would have in younger years. In response to a comment from Mr. Hurn, Deputy Chief Bevan agreed, a small crime can be a very serious issue to a senior, particularly considering that they may not have the ability to communicate effectively to seek the appropriate help. He re-iterated the issue is on the agenda and the Service hopes to make some changes in the very near future. He believed it takes a different skill set to deal effectively with some of the problems and the types of situations that are presented.

Mr. Hurn indicated the second issue he wished to address pertained to a specific incident involving towing services. Chair Kreling suggested Mr. Hurn contact him or Chief Ford directly to relate specific information with regard to the incident so that the matter could be addressed.

Chair Kreling noted this marked the end of the public delegations and he invited questions and comments from Board members.

Member Buckingham noted this is not the first time the Board has heard that a community is unhappy with the hours of operation for its community police centre (CPC). She wondered how the hours of operation are determined for the various centres and whether we tailor our hours to the needs of a community. Chief Ford explained this is one of the reasons for the operational review that is currently underway. Some community centres are staffed differently and are open at different times. The Service wants to review the number of officers who are assigned to community police centres and their hours of work. He noted when staffing CPC’s, the Service tries to work around the hours of 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. daily, though the hours of any given CPC are influenced by use of the centre and the human resources available.

Member Buckingham wondered if the Board could receive a report, before the end of June, outlining the hours of operation of each CPC and how those hours are determined. She maintained it is management’s prerogative to define the hours of work and those should be based on the community’s needs rather than an officer’s preference. Chief Ford stated the hours of operation of a CPC are not designed around officer preference and he indicated staff would prepare a report for the Board, as requested.

Member Buckingham noted some of the delegations’ references to an advisory council on policing in Rockcliffe Park and an intent to expand it to include the communities of New Edinburgh, Lindenlea and Manor Park. She wondered to what extent such advisory councils exist in other districts across the Region.

Chief Ford indicated such councils do not exist in every district across the Region though the Service works with a number of community associations. He noted such an advisory council was in existence in the communities of Rockcliffe Park and Kanata prior to amalgamation. Because of their desire to continue in that capacity, the Service has committed to working with them as part of the community policing process. Where there is no advisory council, staff work with community associations and local councillors to the same end.

Member Buckingham noted in some districts there are multiple community associations, therefore, she felt there may be benefits in having an advisory council in every district. It would provide a forum to bring together all the key stakeholders in a district to promote a common discussion about the various issues and to work collaboratively with the officers in the district. She wondered why the Service had not expanded the model across the Region.

Chief Ford indicated the Partnership in Action initiative is part of that process, dialoguing with the community to develop the best process by which the Service can work with the community.

From the comments of the delegations, Member Buckingham believed the advisory council involved community representatives sitting down with staff to discuss specific calls for service. She argued, the PIA did not go into that level of detail. She felt the advisory council model was a proactive way of working with the community and she felt the model should be expanded in other areas of the Region. Chief Ford did not disagree with the suggestion and noted that when staff sit down with a community association, they discuss the same issues as they would with an advisory council.

Member Buckingham noted another issue raised by some of the delegations pertains to continuity of officers in the CPC’s and in the districts generally. She noted there has been extensive turn-over across the Region and given the high number of retirements expected over the next several years, she wondered what steps the Service is taking to ensure a greater continuity. It is quite clear that for community based policing to work, there has to be a lasting, long-term relationship between the officers working in a district and the community they serve.

Chief Ford stated Constable Mosco has been serving this community almost from the beginning and Inspector Dunlop was in the district until recently. He indicated there have been a number of transfers made because of promotions and retirements and he stressed the importance of having seasoned officers working in community police centres. He noted these things impact on how long an officer can be kept in the same position but in most areas, the Service has been successful. He acknowledged there has been a large turn-over but he was pleased to say that many of those were due to promotions. He stated the Service currently has 500 new officers, but he has just received ten retirement notices and he expects to receive 35 to 40 more over the course of the year. He stressed that with such a high turn-over rate, it is always a difficult process.

In response to a question from a resident, Chief Ford explained the turn-over rate is simply due to the demographics in policing today. He noted every police service in Ontario is experiencing the same problem. There is a high proportion of officers reaching 30 to 35 years of service and looking to retire and the Service is having difficulty securing spaces for its recruits at the Ontario Police College.

Chair Kreling thanked the residents for their comments. He noted one of the reasons the Board visits the communities is to get feedback to ensure a partnership between the Board, the Police Service and the community.

OTHER BUSINESS