|
|
REPORT RAPPORT |
|
|
REPORT RAPPORT |
|
DATE:
|
24 May 2011 |
|
TO/DEST:
|
Executive Director, Ottawa Police Services Board |
|
FROM/EXP:
|
Chief of Police, Ottawa Police Service |
|
SUBJECT/OBJET: |
CRIME, POLICE, AND TRAFFIC STATISTICS – 2010 ANNUAL REPORT
|
RECOMMENDATION
On 22 March 2011, the Ottawa Police Service presented 2010: A Year in Review to the Police Services Board. As part of an ongoing performance measurement initiative, a more detailed summary of crime and police statistics is prepared annually for the community.
The information presented in this report is extracted from the Ottawa Police Records Management System (RMS) and has been categorized according to the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Survey version 2.2. The statistics presented in this report expand upon information presented to the Board in the quarterly performance report, along with statistics forwarded to the City as part of the Ontario Municipal Benchmarking Initiative (OMBI).
The Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics (CCJS) publishes police reported Criminal Code of Canada offence data each July at the national, provincial, and local levels. For Ottawa, the Annual Crime Rates in Canada report only includes crime rates for selected Criminal Code Offence categories at the Census Metropolitan Area (CMA)[1]. The current report focuses exclusively on the City of Ottawa and provides detailed police reported statistics citywide and for each of the 23 wards.
DISCUSSION
The annual release of the Crime, Police, and Traffic Statistics Report citywide and by ward provides residents and visitors with a better understanding of crime in the city. The data in this report helps the Ottawa Police and the community to further identify problem areas and enhance community problem-solving efforts.
2010 Highlights
Key Crime Trends:
§ In the past year, the level of reported crime in the City of Ottawa has fallen by nearly five percent, to 37,579 Criminal Code of Canada offences. 17 of 23 wards showed a decline in the number of offences from the previous year.
§ The solvency rate for total Criminal Code offences, excluding traffic, improved three percentage points to 40 percent citywide.
Crimes Against the Person:
§ The level of violent crime dropped by six percent in 2010, the result of fewer robberies (-18%) and assaults (-4%).
§ In 2010 there were 14 homicides, up from 10 the previous year. However, included in the total number of homicides last year were two historical incidents from 1990 and 2003 that were otherwise unknown and unreported to the Ottawa Police.
Crimes Against the Property:
§ In the past three years the number of property crimes has fallen by over 3,000 offences, declining by nearly nine percent in the last year to 27,446 offences.
§ The volume of break and enter offences declined nine percent in 2010, while the solvency rate has improved by six percentage points to 30 percent. The decline is the result of fewer offences in 13 of 23 wards last year.
Other Criminal Code Offences:
§ In 2010, other Criminal Code of Canada offences rose by 29 percent from the previous year to over 4,600 incidents. The increase is due to a process change in the how the organization captures “fail to appear” charges. The impact has been a four percentage point improvement in the number of Other Criminal Code of Canada Offences solved.
Traffic and Road Safety:
§ The Ottawa Police issued over 150,000 traffic violations in 2010, a two percent increase over the previous year.
§ Last year the Ottawa police conducted 112 Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere (RIDE) programs, stopping 26,840 vehicles, and administering 375 roadside demands (alcotest).
§ In the past three years the Ottawa Police handled an average of 372,000 calls annually. Last year, the number of calls received by the OPS grew by six percent, to over 386,000.
§ The number of emergency response calls, characterized as crimes in progress or life threatening situations has continued to rise, climbing by one percent from the previous year to more than 79,000 calls. The rise in call volume has been the result of more calls in 14 city wards with the largest growth downtown in Ward 12 - Rideau Vanier and Ward 14 – Somerset.
Call Response:
§ Average response times for emergency calls citywide improved slightly last year, with Ottawa Police Officers arriving on scene in 10 minutes - 25 seconds faster than in 2009.
§ Response performance to Priority 1 calls continues to be near the benchmark of 90 percent, with an on-scene police presence within 15 minutes, nearly 88 percent of the time.
CONCLUSION
Ottawa is one of the safest cities in Canada. We will continue to serve and collaborate with our residents in a proactive manner to ensure the City remains an attractive place to live, work and visit.
In addition to the information contained in this report, the Integrated Road Safety Program will be releasing the 2010 Ottawa Road Safety report in the spring. The report will include highlights of road safety programs, traffic enforcement initiatives and top collision locations.
The OPS will continue to serve on the OMBI Police Expert Panel, the national Police Information and Statistics (POLIS) Committee, Ottawa Vital Signs project, and other venues that contribute to the ongoing discussion and improvement in the quality of life for residents and police performance measures.
(original signed by)
Vern White
Chief of Police
Attach. (1)
This document contains information that reports on activities related to the Ottawa Police Business Plan.
[1] The Ottawa-Gatineau CMA includes: Clarence-Rockland, Ottawa, Russell, Cantley, Chelsea, Denholm, Gatineau, La Peche, L’Ange-Gardien, Pontiac, and Val-des-Monts.
