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REPORT RAPPORT |
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REPORT RAPPORT |
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DATE:
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23 April 2012 |
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TO/DEST:
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Executive Director, Ottawa Police Services Board |
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FROM/EXP:
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Chief of Police, Ottawa Police Service |
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SUBJECT/OBJET: |
OFFICE OF THE CHIEF TRANSITION: UPDATE #2
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That the Ottawa Police Services Board receive this report for information.
Upon appointment as Chief of the Ottawa Police Service, I initiated a project to ensure a professional and seamless transition. Any leadership transition must build on the successes of previous administrations but align the work through the lens of the new Chief. This second report provides an update on the work since the report of 21 March 2012. It is the second of three reports outlining progress against the plan that has been established for the Office of the Chief of Police Transition.
Two of the main objectives of the Transition Project are to inform the Board of progress on a regular basis and to create a legacy for future Chiefs of Police in Ottawa. The investment being made in the Transition Project will provide a process that can be adopted in the future during a period of executive or leadership change. The Transition Project will serve as a roadmap for successive chiefs while ensuring that we are meeting the strategic priorities and obligations of the Office of the Chief of Police and the Police Services Board. It will also serve to inform other police agencies facing leadership change.
The practical work associated with the transition requires the assistance and talent of various personnel. A transition team led by Acting Superintendent Terry Cheslock has been established and members from across the organization are engaged in delivering various work packages contained in the work plan.
The transition process has continued since the last Board meeting. The scope and overall plan have now been completed. The 100 day transition plan will focus on “First Order - Change Management” specifically, while setting the stage for “Second Order” change into the future. The first order of change involves ensuring a seamless transition while optimizing ongoing operational effectiveness including timely, transparent and inclusive decision making.
The first priority was to ensure that all statutory requirements for the position were met. This included understanding and developing the protocols for the legal and ceremonial swearing in of the new Chief of Police.
As noted previously, Ministry requirements and administrative obligations relating to the duties and office of the Chief of Police were reviewed and have been met. Since that time, the Chief has been designated as a commissioner of oaths for the purpose of swearing in new officers, including the anticipated graduation of two recruit classes in May and beyond.
The Change of Command Ceremony outlined in the first report has now been confirmed and will take place on May 14, 2012 at 2:00 pm. The event will take place at the Shenkman Arts Centre and invitations have been extended to Ottawa Police Service community and emergency services partners, elected officials and special guests.
Scope of 100 Day Transition work
The Transition Project focuses on first order changes and lays the foundation for second order changes after June 2012.
Ten work elements were identified in the first report. Since that time, work packages have been developed and plans and strategies are evolving to address issues for the transition. The detailed components of these elements are included in Appendix A attached to the report. These represent all areas of the Chief’s Strategic Priorities.
First Order of Change
Communicating the vision and priorities of the organization to every member of the Ottawa Police Service and community is an essential ingredient in our success moving forward. The Chief and Executive leadership group participated in a full day meeting with all senior officers on April 12, 2012. This full day meeting provided an opportunity for the senior management of the organization to meet and hear from a number of speakers on the subjects of the Transition, Core Services Review, Leadership and Personal Excellence, Ethics, and Mental Readiness.
Changes in Office of the Chief Directorate
The continuity of leadership has been maintained with the appointment of Ralph Erfle as acting Deputy Chief (Operations) until a new Deputy is selected by the Board.
There has also been a change in the reporting structure related to the Director of Communications and Community Development. This position has now been divided with both reporting to the Chief of Police. The Chief of Police has approved the secondment of Mr. John Steinbachs from the City of Ottawa to act as the Director of Communications for a one year period beginning in May 2012.
Mr. Steinbachs has a background in communications, media, social media, governance and executive office support here in Ottawa and the Yukon. Most recently, he has been the manager responsible for strategic support, including the Ottawa Board of Health, at Ottawa Public Health. He previously held positions with the City of Ottawa in Media Relations and in the City Manager's Office. Some of you will also remember Mr. Steinbachs as a reporter with the Ottawa Sun.
In his new role with OPS, Mr. Steinbachs will report directly to me and he will be responsible for overseeing corporate communications and media relations. In this capacity, he will, oversee the development of Police Services Board reports and agendas and support Executive Command in the management of strategic issues. Margaret MacDonald will continue as the Acting Director of Community Development and also perform the duties of her substantive position as Manager of Corporate Communications.
David Pepper, the Director of Corporate Communications and Community Development who has been assigned to the special project related to racial profiling, has resigned from the Ottawa Police Service effective May 1, 2012. Mr. Pepper has accepted a new position outside our organization that will be made public next month. In the coming months as the transition process continues, the structure of the four sections previously under his command will be reviewed and staffed accordingly.
Communications
Internal and external transition communications will be a priority for the staff in Corporate Communications moving forward. The development of a communications plan that aligns existing work with the upcoming changes is essential for members of the OPS and the community to understand our priorities and plans.
Internal messages have been developed to ensure that staff is aware of the changes that are underway. Senior managers have been told that the operational priorities of the Service remain in place. There are a number of other areas where planning and development is underway, for example; the business plan, core services review and other longer term projects outlined in the plan.
It is important for every member of the Ottawa Police Service to understand that leadership change will bring about other changes as well. At this time, I am encouraging all members to focus on their current work with an additional eye to service. Every encounter that a member of the Ottawa Police Service has with a member of the public is an opportunity to demonstrate our professionalism and our commitment to helping people. I firmly believe that “Everyone matters” and this belief can be demonstrated every day when we answer an emergency call, or conduct an investigation, or answer a call from the public about a report. I am encouraging our staff to consider the importance of these encounters each and every time.
As Chief, I remain committed to working with and engaging the community at every possible opportunity. I have received numerous requests to attend community engagements and events. Wherever possible I am participating and encouraging other senior and rank and file members of the organization to take part as well.
Knowledge Transfer
The process of ensuring a transfer of previous information, documentation and knowledge is crucial for the office of the Chief of Police. The project has now completed the initial phase of this knowledge transfer and documented the process accordingly.
Employee Engagement
The first forty-five days have been focused on key meetings with staff to understand the work elements outlined in Appendix A.
The organization has a number of initiatives underway that will allow for increased employee engagement and participation. Part of my role in this will be the continued meetings with staff at all levels. By the end of the first 100 days, I will have met with every platoon, and re-visited a number of the other areas in the operations of the Police Service. Subsequently, I will be working to meet with every section in the organization in the coming months.
Another initiative is the operational and strategic briefings that are taking place with each section and management team within the organization. A process to gather information and provide a venue for every section of the organization to identify important operational priorities and concerns is presently underway. These briefing reports will be collated in a manner that will supply information and data to other planning processes – both operational and strategic.
Alignment and Integration of Current Priorities
The development of the Police Service’s next three-year Business Plan is underway, and coincides with the commencement of the 2013 Budget planning. It is a priority for the Office of the Chief Transition Project to make certain that these two major projects are properly aligned with the new direction and integrated into the other major initiatives underway.
The business planning process is a critical undertaking between the Board and the Service. The process will allow the Chief and Board to ensure that the strategic priorities of both are consistent and in alignment. The next step will be to bring members of the Board together for a first planning session in June.
This change period has necessitated a slight delay on timelines of some projects and deliverables to ensure alignment with the new direction. The criteria for redirecting activities included responding to interdependencies, determining if delay would cause operational problems and whether implementation or timelines detract from the success of the project; or improve the success of the project. Finally, any financial loss was also considered. With this in mind, a number of the large planning projects such as the Business Plan, Core Services Review and other inputs such as the public and member surveys have been reviewed resulting in the development of a new planning schedule. An example where this has been particularly important is in the areas of the internal employee and external community surveys that have recently been completed.
The Transition Project has focussed on the strategic alignment of ongoing activities in the organization. Several major planning initiatives that have been underway are coming to fruition. We are exploring opportunities to leverage technology and develop more inclusive consultative strategies during this work as well. Reporting will take place under separate cover as it relates specifically to technology and consultative strategies.
We will continue to undertake a review of service demands and strategies to enhance efficiency, effectiveness and economy in the police service. The Core Services Review project (CSR) is undertaking an examination of how we do our business to look for efficiencies and ways to improve the delivery of our policing services to the community. The vision for the CSR is being developed and will lead to a comprehensive plan outlining the different stages. The CSR will align with other ongoing initiatives and projects within OPS and the City of Ottawa to explore efficiency opportunities and partnerships. The planning team is led by Acting Inspector Steve Bell and is comprised of Director Randy Mar and Sergeants John Ferguson and Alison Cookson. This team continues to report to the CSR Steering Committee which is comprised of a senior management team including Executive Command.
CONSULTATION
Consultation with all affected by the transition continues as stated in the previous report.
There will be a final financial statement in the May 2012 report. All funds will be found from existing resources in the 2012 budget. The only significant funding required for the transition project has been the resources of the Project Management support previously outlined.
This is the second of three reports that will be presented to the Board during the first phase of transition. The third and final report in May will provide an overview of the work completed and an outline of the final outcomes achieved.
I remain committed to updating the Board on all aspects of the leadership change underway. As I stated in the previous report, I, along with the Executive leadership group, appreciate the patience, flexibility and cooperation demonstrated by members of the Board and everyone else during this time.
(Original signed by)
Charles Bordeleau
Chief of Police
