DATE:

24 September 2012

TO/DEST:

Executive Director, Ottawa Police Services Board

FROM/EXP:

Chief of Police, Ottawa Police Service

SUBJECT/OBJET:

2013 - 2015 BUSINESS PLAN: UPDATE

RECOMMENDATION

That the Ottawa Police Services Board receive this report for information.

BACKGROUND

The Ottawa Police Service (OPS) has a statutory requirement to comply with the Police Services Act and all its regulations. This includes Provincial Adequacy Standards that mandate the provision of policing services to the community - responding to emergencies, enforcing the law, crime prevention, investigating crime, maintaining public order and assisting victims – and the requirement that Police Services Boards prepare a business plan every three years to guide program and policing services to the community. The Business Plan articulates how the Board and the OPS will deliver adequate and effective police services for the citizens of Ottawa and respond to community concerns over the three year horizon.

The 2010-2012 Plan for a Safer Ottawa is the Ottawa Police Services Board’s fifth business plan. It is a plan of action comprised of 17 goals and 57 objectives developed in consultation with the community to address community policing priorities and has assisted in guiding OPS program and service delivery over the past three years. The current plan is set to expire at year-end.

DISCUSSION

The 2013-2015 business planning process requires an examination of the past and an assessment of what has been accomplished, a current environmental scan and, a look to the future to identify emerging issues, community concerns and potential challenges. Throughout the process, OPS has sought opportunities to engage and gather input from residents, internal membership, businesses, city councillors, Board members, community stakeholders and organizations, and our municipal and law enforcement partners.

The Police Service has recently reported the results of the 2012 Public Survey on Policing Services, the 2012 Member Engagement Survey and the 2012 Environmental Scan. These represent key information sources for the Board and OPS to consider in examining the current environment as well as identifying emerging issues, community concerns and potential challenges for the future.

Policing in Canada is facing unprecedented challenges in relation to demographics, changing patterns of crime, complexities of court system, public expectations and fiscal pressures. As part of its Mid-Term Business Plan Review in the fall of 2011, the Board recognized these challenges and the opportunity to lead change within the OPS and the Canadian police sector. It directed that OPS begin a review of its service aimed at identifying efficiencies and ensuring value for money.

Following that direction from the Board, the OPS undertook a Service Initiative (SI) designed to identify service improvements, efficiencies, and new or alternative ways of doing business. The goal of this initiative is to identify opportunities that allow the organization to reinvest in service to citizens and meet our policing responsibilities in an era of constrained budgets. The SI is a comprehensive program with short- and long-term goals that will position the OPS to identify opportunities that allow it to meet the challenges facing policing in Ottawa and Canada.

Some early key projects have been identified that will both improve service to citizens while bringing potential cost and capacity savings. These initiatives including developing multiple formats for access to police services through a variety of self-reporting options. Other organizations, like the City of Ottawa, have undertaken similar long term strategies designed to bring fundamental change and OPS is learning from and leveraging the experience of those earlier efforts.

The compilation of research and community input was discussed by the Board and the OPS Executive during a joint session designed to stimulate discussion and facilitate the identification of key strategic priorities that would assist the service in responding to the future challenges, issues and pressures facing the community and the OPS over the next three to five years.

All of the inputs received to date were carefully considered and four strategic priorities were identified for the upcoming 2013-2015 Business Plan, simply stated as: Value | Community | Members | Service.

Over the next few months, sworn and civilian members, representing all ranks and functional areas of the organization, will further define these broad themes and develop specific goals, objectives, actions and outcomes to be achieved by 2015, This work will be coordinated with the SI project team to ensure that potential longer term opportunities are integrated in the Business Plan.

During this phase, ongoing feedback and collaboration will be solicited from the Board, members, the Ottawa Police Association, Senior Officers’ Association and community stakeholders such as COMPAC, GLBT and the Youth Advisory Committee.

Once the draft business plan goals and objectives have been prepared, input and feedback will also be solicited from a broad audience including engaged residents, community organizations, businesses, city councillors and our municipal and law enforcement partners.

The feedback will be reviewed to ensure that the draft plan addresses the issues and community concerns raised during the consultation phase. A final draft plan will be prepared and brought forward to the Board for consideration in the first quarter of 2013. The key milestones and schedule for the business planning process is illustrated below.

EXISTING POLICY

The 2013-2015 Business Plan will form part of the Ottawa Police Service’s compliance with Provincial Adequacy Standards and Ottawa Police Services Board Policy AI-001, Framework for Business Planning.

CONSULTATION

Over the next several months there will be opportunities for residents, members, and community-based policing partners, organizations, and stakeholders to engage and provide input into the development of the draft 2013-2015 Business Plan. A consultation strategy will be developed to ensure that there will be multiple sources / opportunities for input and feedback, whether it is through email, letter, ottawapolice.ca website, etc., and other media, particularly the use of social media.

The 2013-2015 Business Plan, will be one that is built on the engagement, collaborative work and valuable input from the members of the Police Service, engaged citizens, community partners and the Police Services Board, in making Ottawa a safer community.

FINANCIAL STATEMENT

There are no immediate financial impacts or implications resulting from this report.

CONCLUSION

The Police Services Board and the Executive of the Police Service have considered the input received from residents, OPS members and community stakeholders. Initiatives to reduce, investigate and prevent crime; continued improvements to the delivery of policing services to the community within a sound fiscal environment; enhance community engagement, relationships and partnerships; and improve member engagement and supports to our members, are all areas of focus for the upcoming Business Plan, which has been captured in the four draft strategic priorities of: Value | Community | Members | Service.

Currently, sworn and civilian members across the Police Service are actively participating in teams to develop the draft goals, objectives and outcomes for their respective strategic priority. These teams are working collaboratively and will also engage our community policing partners in this process.

Over the next several months the OPS is looking forward to the continued engagement from residents, members, the Police Services Board and our partners in building the 2013-2015 Business Plan. A consultation strategy is in the works that will ensure that there will be opportunities to engage and provide feedback.

Ultimately the 2013-2015 Business Plan will be a three-year plan of action that will respond to community concerns and will improve the Police Service’s ability to effectively and efficiently deliver policing services in the future. It will be built on the engagement, collaborative work and valuable input from members of the Police Service, engaged citizens, community partners and the Police Services Board. The Plan will continue to strengthen the tradition of professionalism, quality service, excellence and community collaboration that this Service has established.

(original signed by)

Charles Bordeleau

Chief of Police

This document contains information that reports on activities related to the Ottawa Police Service Business Plan.