Chief’s Verbal – July 25, 2011
YIPI Program (Youth in Policing Initiative)
The YIPI program provides a safe and positive summer employment opportunity for youth who reside in at-risk communities and helps to promote a positive relationship between police services and the community. This program will also promote youth participation and exposure to the work environment through diverse, educational and productive work assignments with the police service.
This is the 3rd year that the Ottawa Police Service has participated in this program and we accepted 39 youth from over 300 applications. They will be working in such areas as Fleet, Background Clearance and Records, Human Resources and our Community Policing Centers.
YIPI is a provincially funded summer employment program that looks to provide youth from various areas of the city with the necessary skills to go on to other employment opportunities. This year the OPS has connected with the City’s Parks and Recreation Department to assist youth in applying for Fall and Winter employment, using the skills that they learned through the summer.
Flotilla for Friendship
On July 20th, over 30 officers participated in the annual Flotilla for Friendship. The event involves aboriginal kids and area police officers paddling their way in canoes from Dow’s Lake to Victoria Island, for a day of activities and friendship.
Royal Visit & Canada Day
This year’s Canada Day Celebrations in Ottawa attracted more than 400,000 people - the largest crowds the City has seen in recent memory in the downtown core.
The focal point of these celebrations, was the participation of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. The Ottawa Police Service deployed its maximum compliment, and in conjunction with the RCMP provided security for all the Royal Couple’s movements in the National Capital Region.
There were twenty additional Canada Day celebrations throughout the City of Ottawa, four of those events drew on police resources located at Petrie Island, Andrew Haydon Park, Barrhaven and Kanata. No major incidents were reported at any of these venues
City Archives
A meeting was held between the Ottawa Police Service and the City Archives where an agreement was reached regarding the transfer of our historical documents and artifacts to a proper facility. The City Archives would provide better storage and display some of our property. At our request, they will supply staff to assist in displaying these police artifacts at special events or ceremonies. The transfer of these artifacts to the City Archives is a “win-win” for both agencies. Artifacts such as the old aluminum cast painted City of Ottawa crest, police badges, batons, a box containing fingerprint ink and photos will be delivered to the Archives and be placed in safe storage.
Infant Left in Car
On Saturday, July 16, 2011, a 9-1-1 call was received regarding an infant left unattended in a vehicle in a parking lot in the area of Tenth Line and Innes Road.
The responding police officers broke the window of a van to reach a three week old child. T he infant was assessed at the scene by Ottawa Paramedic Service and transported to hospital for further observation and later released to its parents.
The incident happened as a result of a miscommunication between the parents when they left their children with a caregiver. Three children were placed in her care, however, unknowingly the infant remained in the van in a rear facing child seat. His presence was undetected by the parents and they left the vehicle and went into a store.
The Children’s Aid Society was contacted, as they are in all cases where there may be child endangerment. The CAS attended the scene and was satisfied that there were no grounds to remove the infant from his parents. The CAS has put measures in place to ensure that the parents have support in parenting from other family members. The care of the child is being monitored for the immediate future, with follow-ups being conducted. The Crown Attorney’s Office was also consulted.
The OPS Sexual Assault/Child Abuse Section investigators determined that the facts in this case do not meet the standard required to lay a criminal charge, as the parents did not knowingly and intentionally leave the infant in the car.
Constable Andree Leduc
On July 12, 2011, an elderly male had collapsed at the Place D’Orleans mall and was VSA. Cst. Andree Leduc located the male and deployed her defibrillator.
The Ottawa Fire Department and Paramedics arrived onscene and assisted Cst. Leduc. The result was the resumption of a pulse and the transport of the victim to the Montfort Hospital.
Rainstorm
A rain storm with very high winds came through the City of Ottawa on July 17, 2011. Between 7 and 9 p.m., Ottawa Police, Ottawa Fire and Ottawa Paramedics, along with City of Ottawa 311staff, expertly triaged, dispatched and responded to over 951 calls for service. Of those, 651 came through 9-1-1.
In comparison, on July 17th 2010, we received 771 calls for service in 24 hours.
Outstanding work by all!
On Friday, July 15, 2011, the Ottawa Police Service, in partnership with the Ontario Provincial Police and the Ministry of the Environment conducted Project ERASE (Eliminate Racing Activities On Streets Everywhere).
About 125 vehicles were stopped. A total of 21 speeding charges were laid, the highest being 149kph in a posted 100kph zone, 46 equipment charges and over 47 other various Highway Traffic Act charges.
Environment officers inspected 25 vehicles, laying charges against 13 operators for various emission control violations.
Status Report on the 2011 Ottawa Police Gala
The Ottawa Police Service will be holding its 2nd annual Gala with all proceeds from the event going to the Ottawa Mission. This year’s gala is being held on Saturday, October 29th at the Ottawa Convention Center. The Ottawa Police are very fortunate to have and would like to thank Telus, Adobe and Valley Associates for accepting Platinum Sponsorship roles in this year’s event. We are also pleased to announce that tickets sales are moving very well and that we have less than 100/500 tickets still available.
King Fisher Evacuation
On July 20th the Ottawa Police Service was called to provide support to the City of Ottawa Office of Emergency Management. The government of Ontario asked the City of Ottawa to assist in the evacuation of 286 residents from the Kingfisher Lake First Nations community. Kingfisher Lake is located 2400 kilometres Northwest of Ottawa. The community was one of many that have been threatened by forest fires which have overtaken much of Northwest Ontario.
The OPS mandate is to ensure the safety and security of the evacuees and provide support to all city partners as required.
All evacuees have been safely housed at the Algonquin College student residences. We will continue with our community outreach and maintain an open line of communication with all concerned parties.