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REPORT RAPPORT |
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REPORT RAPPORT |
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DATE:
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28 May 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 #3
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That the Ottawa Police Services Board receive this report for information.
Upon being appointed as the Chief of Police, I undertook to provide updates to the Board on the status of the Transition Project. This will be the third and final report covering the progress on our work plan for the month of May, 2012.
In the past, I have stated that we will accomplish our goals through the use of rigorous, transparent fiscal management while maintaining and strengthening relationships in all sectors of public safety, the broader community and with our sworn, civilian and volunteer staff. I would like to emphasize that throughout this transition, we have maintained a focus on ensuring continuity of our operations and services.
I am pleased to report that progress of the 100 Day Transition Plan is on track with the schedule that was established and previously reported to the Board (Annex A). The plan was developed through a consultative process that included an examination of significant projects and our current operating environment. A portion of the work that began in the first three months will carry on into the future as part of the Second Order Change Plan (Annex B). Accordingly, you will see the completion of a number of projects identified in the second phase of transition in the months and years to come.
The meetings with members have continued to take place on a regular basis. The process of collecting briefing materials and operational updates from various sections was completed during the second week of May. The baseline briefing materials often serve as a catalyst for discussions but I am also having the opportunity to hear firsthand the stories of our successes as a service and the remarkable work carried out by our members on a daily basis. By mid-June, I will have met with all of our sworn officers assigned to platoon emergency response. Meetings with other sections have also been a priority. It is my intention to continue this approach of engaging our members in the development of a shared vision of our future.
Alignment and integration of current priorities remains a crucial factor for organizational development. Over the past three months, we have been engaged in developing an environmental scan to support and inform business planning. The scanning has included the collection of data from a variety of sources including the community survey, an internal member survey and a broad spectrum of consultations that have taken place with stakeholders and the community. The results of the environmental scan will be reported to the Board before the Board and senior OPS staff meet on 14 June 2012 to lay the foundation for the 2013 to 2015 Business Plan.
Sustainable development and sound financial practices will be the cornerstone of this administration. There has been a great deal of effort over the past three months to align our financial priorities with the goals of my administration. Appendix A outlines the work that has been ongoing within our financial environment. We will continue to build on our sound financial practices to ensure the future health of our organization.
The Ottawa Police Service has long been a leader in leveraging innovation and technology to the benefit of service to the public. In May, senior command came together for a session to address the fiscal challenges faced by the service over the next ten years. The result of the session was a commitment to a process of transformational change by senior managers focused on service to citizens and financial sustainability.
I am committed to ensuring that change will occur through a methodical, inclusive and transparent approach that recognizes the importance of relationships and embodies the value that “everyone matters”. Over the past three months OPS planning teams have also been working with staff from the City of Ottawa who are involved in complementary processes. We will continue to collaborate and explore opportunities for partnerships with City initiatives as we move forward.
Second order change has also begun. In the first week of May, I announced the restructuring of the Office of the Chief and Director General reporting structures. The restructuring followed three principles that we will be adopting for future restructuring efforts. The principles include the simplification of reporting structures to create a more streamlined management structure, alignment of strategic functions with direct reporting to appropriate executive authorities and the creation of a high performance work environment to ensure the increased span of control can be effectively managed.
CONSULTATION
Consultation has been taking place throughout the project and has been reported in transition reports.
Completion of the project was within budget.
CONCLUSION
The Transition Project was designed to address first-order change within the organization as we move forward, establish a foundation for second order service improvements and to provide a roadmap for the successful transition of future leaders in policing. First-order changes, or incremental changes, typically involve adjustment of systems and processes, but they do not necessarily involve changes to strategy, core values or corporate identity. The first-order changes that have been adopted as part of this project were designed to support organizational continuity and order while setting the stage for second-order change.
Second-order change, or transformational change, will involve a reorientation to align the organization with a new view that will include aspects of organizational change embracing elements of business process review, restructuring and re-engineering. One of my goals is to build on our successes and strengthen public confidence in the Ottawa Police Service. This will be accomplished through a framework that places an emphasis on innovation and corporate social responsibility. Adopting a flexible and competitive approach to our service will lead to a higher quality of service, strong and enduring relationships, better employee engagement and long term sustainability of our programs.
On 14 May 2012, the Change of Command Ceremony took place to coincide with the first day of Police Week. This year, the theme for Police Week was “Leading the Way to a Safer Tomorrow –Your Home, Your Community… Keep it Safe”. The symbolic transfer of responsibility for policing in Ottawa that took place through the ceremony sparks the imagination about the possibilities for our future and fuels my commitment to ensuring that the hope of a safer tomorrow is realized.
I would like to express my appreciation to the community, the Board and all of the members and volunteers of our service for the overwhelming support that has been provided to me over the past three months.
(Original signed by)
Charles Bordeleau
Chief of Police
