28 May 2007
On 7 May at 2:45 am, Ottawa Police received a 911 call from the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) indicating that there was a man with a gun at the hospital side entrance. The suspect had rammed his vehicle into newspaper boxes near the front door of the hospital.
Upon the officers arrival, information was received that the individual was armed with a rifle and had approached the ROTEL, a 50-room, non-profit motel facility serving patients and families using Ottawa-area hospitals operated by Rotary International. Concerned for the safety of the residents, patrol supervisors invoked the Immediate Action Rapid Deployment (IARD) protocol and officers entered the ROTEL to locate the individual and stop the threat. The Tactical Unit, Canine officers and officers from West and Central Divisions were also on scene to actively support the operation.
The response of Ottawa Police was quick and containment of the threat was rapid and effective. The suspect was located within minutes by the Tactical Team. At the time of his arrest the suspect was in possession of a firearm, a rifle, and a substantial amount of ammunition.
This is a good news story; the incident could have ended in a tragedy and loss of life. The Chief was proud to say that the officers’ response was professional and in accordance with training for these types of incidents.
Training for all front line officers on IARD began in February 2006. IARD tactics were designed for police officers to respond swiftly to calls for service where ongoing, life-threatening situations are occurring, whereby any delay in responding would result in deaths or serious bodily harm to innocent persons.
This is the first instance where the IARD protocol has been invoked in Ottawa and the Chief was pleased with the outcome. All members involved from front line patrol, Tactical, Canine and the Communications Centre are to be commended for their actions. The Chief also commended on-duty hospital and ROTEL staff for their quick actions and cooperation.
The suspect involved appeared in Court on several
charges and is currently undergoing a Court imposed psychiatric assessment at
the Royal Ottawa Hospital.
On 7 May 2007 at approximately 10:15pm, two
young women were sitting at a bench on Orleans Boulevard near Lumberman Way
where they observed a vehicle approach them.
The vehicle slowed to a stop at which point the front passenger leaned
out the window and shot directly at them with a paintball gun from a distance
of approximately 6 feet. One of the
victims, a 20 year old woman, was shot in the eye, receiving a serious eye injury that may cause her to lose permanent vision in
her eye. She continues to undergo
various surgeries to address on-going problems. A young male was shot in the
leg and received minor injury.
A call to the public for assistance in
identifying the individuals responsible for the senseless attack was issued
through the media the following morning.
On 10 May East Division investigators assigned to the file arrested and
charged two individuals (a 17 year old female and a 20 year old male) with a
multitude of criminal offences relating to this incident.
The Chief acknowledged the public for their
assistance in providing valuable information that assisted in solving this
tragic case. The incident also brings
forward the seriousness of paintball guns in the community.
The “Speeding Costs You Deerly” campaign has been selected as the recipient of the Ministry of Transportation’s 2006 Road Safety Achievement Award, which is being presented at a ceremony this evening in Toronto. S/Sgt R. Lavigne, Public Safety, Collision Investigation Section, nominated this very successful campaign. The Integrated Road Safety Program was developed in partnership with the City of Ottawa’s Health Unit, Roads Department and the Police Service. The campaign led to a 20% reduction in deer / vehicle accidents.
We are all very excited about the success of the Ottawa Senators and are cheering them on as they begin the final stage in their run for their first Stanley Cup title in modern history.
Following last week’s victory in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference final, fans celebrated very responsibly. Numerous police resources were deployed to ensure the celebrations took place in a safe manner. Various venues were managed, including Scotiabank Place, the Elgin Street area, the Market area, and various other bar and restaurant areas. The Airport was also managed for the team’s return flight home. The fans in Ottawa are to be congratulated for their peaceful and lawful celebratory activities.
Tonight, the finals begin. The OPS has worked closely with City partners and other law enforcement partners to prepare. The OPS planning team includes all the usual City Partners, AGCO (Alcohol & Gaming Commission of Ontario), OPP, RCMP, the Gatineau Police Service, The Ottawa Senator’s Hockey Club, Scotiabank Place and the National Hockey League. Canadian cities that have experienced the finals in the past few decades have been consulted about their lessons learned and their experiences are being factored into the planning.
The OPS has a detailed plan that will address the needs of the community and provide for safe celebrations. There are significant costs associated, as most resources have to be deployed on overtime. Efforts are being made to minimize the costs through shift changes, however, unlike most major events managed by our Service, this is one large protracted event spread over several venues culminating hopefully with a celebratory parade. All costs are being tracked under special cost centres.
In partnership with the Asian Heritage Month Society, the Ottawa Police Service celebrated Asian Heritage Month on 1 May 2007 with a special outdoor event at police headquarters that included a banner unveiling, cultural dance, entertainment and food. The Diversity and Race Relations Section manages the OPS Flag Program, which is aimed at raising awareness and education about Ottawa’s diverse communities.
To mark Police Week in the province of Ontario this year, community police centres organized more than 13 events across the city, including police presence and profile of our recruitment videos in selected movie theatres coinciding with the movie release of “Shrek the Third”. This presented two great opportunities: to promote Child Print with children and families; and to reach potential officers of the next generation.
The Chief was pleased to report to the Board that the Respectful Workplace Training is going very well. To date 533 members have been trained by staff at the Professional Development Centre. On Wednesday 23 May 2007 (the Chief’s second day of office) he participated in the Respectful Workplace Training. There is a Senior Officer presence at every presentation to provide consistent messaging. He is very impressed with the training that is being delivered and with the interest from all levels of staff within the organization.
The Chief was proud to announce that on Friday, 25 May 2007 two members of the Ottawa Police Service, Staff Sergeant Syd Gravel and Ms. Louise Logue, were formally invested as Members of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces. The Order was created in October 2000 to recognize conspicuous merit and exceptional service by members of Canadian police forces whose contributions extend beyond protection of the community.
S/S Gravel is in charge of the Professional Development Centre. His citation, read out at Friday’s ceremony, was as follows: “Staff Sergeant Sylvio Gravel is a natural communicator and teacher. His work in the areas of peer support as well as the recruiting and training of police officers will have a profound impact on policing across Canada for years to come.”
Ms. Logue is the OPS’s Youth Coordinator. Her citation read: “Ms. Louise Logue is a pioneer and highly regarded expert in the field of youth intervention. She has dedicated her entire life, professionally and personally, to the well being of others, particularly young people.”
The Chief expressed his pride in having such distinguished individuals in the ranks of the OPS and singled them out as role models for all sworn and civilian members of the Service.
The Chief reported that in future, when required (due to absence), he will appoint acting assignments for the rank of Deputy Chief and Chief of Police and the Board will receive written notification. This will provide developmental opportunities and ensure consistent command at the executive level.
Chief White met with the Presidents of both the Ottawa Police Association and the Senior Officer Association. Both meetings were very productive and he intends to continue monthly meetings with both Associations.