|
Ottawa
Police Services Board
Minutes 22
Monday,
26 September 2016, 4:00 p.m.
Champlain
Room, 110 Laurier Avenue West, Ottawa
|
Present: Councillor E. El-Chantiry
(Chair), J.
Durrell (Vice Chair), Councillor J. Harder, C. Nicholson, L.A. Smallwood, S.
Valiquet
Regrets: Councillor T. Tierney
CONFIRMATION OF
AGENDA
DECLARATIONS
OF INTEREST
There were no
declarations of interest.
INQUIRIES
1)
Marijuana
Dispensaries in Ottawa
Chair El-Chantiry submitted the following Inquiry and
asked that the response be submitted to the Board at its next meeting:
·
Chair
El-Chantiry stated that several of his colleagues on City Council have inquired
about the many marijuana dispensaries currently operating illegally in Ottawa.
Their ward residents are concerned about having these illegal shops in their
neighborhoods, and they want to be informed of the Ottawa Police Service’s
position on this issue.
·
Also,
Ontario Attorney General Y. Naqvi recently stated that it is up to the police
to decide how they approach enforcement related to the activities of these
shops.
·
Given
that, what action has the Ottawa Police Service decided to take regarding
illegal marijuana dispensaries in Ottawa?
The Chair noted he will share the
response with other members of Council.
OPS
PRESENTATION
1.
CANADA
2017: OPS UPDATE
Presentation
by Superintendent J. McKenna, Ottawa Police Service
(A
copy of the presentation will be kept on file with the Board’s Executive
Director.) Deputy
Chief Skinner introduced Supt. J. McKenna and Insp. M. Knowles from the
Emergency Operations Directorate (EOD) as presenters for the 2017 Update.
Following
the presentation, staff responded to questions and provided points of
clarification including the following.
·
Estimating the
budget for these events will be a challenge as the costs remain uncertain, but
staff are working to identify which costs will fall to event organizers (paid
duty) and which will fall to the City and its police service. Some planned
activities will trigger a onetime expense for the City. Staff are also working
to identify potential funding sources such as: federal or provincial funding, one-time
funding from the City, and OPS reserve funds. Recommendations for funding will
be made to the Board as part of the 2017 budget.
·
Concern was
expressed about whether the Service will have enough resources to staff all
these special events when it is already sometimes difficult to obtain paid duty
officers due to all the construction in the City and the requirement for paid
duty officers at those sites. The Chief acknowledged there has been an
abnormal amount of construction in 2016 but it won’t be as great in 2017, which
should free up more paid duty officers.
COMMITTEE
MEETINGS: REPORTS FROM COMMITTEE CHAIRS & MINUTES
-
Finance
and Audit Committee draft minutes - 25 July 2016
That the
Ottawa Police Services Board receive these reports for information.
RECEIVED
ITEMS OF BUSINESS
1.
CHIEF’S VERBAL
REPORT
Chief Bordeleau reported on the following items (A
copy of the Chief’s verbal report is available online at ottawapoliceboard.ca):
·
Body-Worn
Video
·
Back to
School
·
Grant a
Wish – the Jacob’s
·
Homicides
·
Dog
Attack
·
Insp.
Pat Flanagan – Order of Merit
·
Promotions
·
Canadian
Police and Peace Officers’ Memorial.
Homicides
Responding to questions about the
homicide on Shillington Avenue and the inability to stop crime in that area,
Chief Bordeleau explained that a significant amount of resources have been
invested at this address and officers are being subjected to charges of
harassment by the business owners. There is a legal framework that must be
worked within, and the police do not have the legal authority to shut down a
business. The OPS will continue working with the City’s By-law and Licensing
units, who may have more powers than the police in this situation. The Chief further
advised that charges have been laid against the
owner and are before the courts. They
are working with the landlord from an eviction perspective, however, there are
complications with the lease.
That
the Ottawa Police Services Board receive this report for information.
RECEIVED
2.
ATTENDANCE
AT ONTARIO ASSOCIATION OF POLICE SERVICES BOARDS’ LABOUR SEMINAR
Executive Director’s report
That the Ottawa Police
Services Board approve the attendance of E. El Chantiry, L.A. Smallwood and W.
Fedec at the Ontario Association of Police Services Boards (OAPSB) Labour
Seminar being held in Toronto, on October 20 - 21, 2016.
CARRIED
3.
OTTAWA
POLICE GALA - FUNDRAISER IN SUPPORT OF THE YOUVILLE CENTRE AND THE DISTRESS
CENTRE OF OTTAWA & REGION
Executive Director’s report
That the Ottawa Police Services Board
approve the purchase of a table at the Seventh Annual Ottawa Police Gala being
held on November 5, 2016 at the Shaw Centre, at a cost of $1,750.
CARRIED
4.
TRAFFIC
STOP RACE DATA COLLECTION PROJECT UPDATE
That the Ottawa Police Services Board
receive this report for information.
RECEIVED
5.
SERVICE
INITIATIVE QUARTERLY UPDATE
Mr. Shane Quinn, a representative from the
Safety Committee of the Civic Hospital Neighborhood Association, the Hintonburg
Community Association and the Mechanicsville Association, posed three questions
pertaining to the Service Initiative (SI):
1) When will the terms
of reference for the Advisory Committee be made public?
2) When and how will the evaluation on the
changes happen? and
3) What is the communication plan for all of
these changes?
Responding to the first question, Deputy Chief Skinner explained
that the Community Advisory Group will hold its first meeting in early October.
At that meeting, they will deal with relationship building and review the
draft Terms of Reference. Members will return to their associations to work
through the terms of reference and then return to the Advisory Group with the
feedback gathered to ensure as many perspectives as possible are incorporated.
Minutes of the meetings will be submitted to the Board.
With respect to the second question, the Deputy Chief
said they are still determining what the performance measures will look like
and will continue to build them until it represents what they want to achieve,
such as financial savings, building partnerships, being more efficient and
effective, and providing an improved service.
With regard to the third question, the Board receives
quarterly updates on the SI Initiative on the public agenda.
Chair El-Chantiry invited Mr. Quinn to speak with Deputy
Chief Skinner after the meeting should he require additional information.
That the Ottawa Police Services Board
receive this report for information.
RECEIVED
6.
RESPONSE TO INQUIRY I-16-03: OTTAWA POLICE SERVICE ACCOMMODATION
Chief’s report
Chair
El-Chantiry advised that Member Tierney, who raised this inquiry, was not able
to attend the meeting and has asked that this item be deferred until the next
meeting when he will be in attendance.
That
the Ottawa Police Services Board receive this report for information.
DEFERRED
7.
RESPONSE
TO INQUIRY I-16-04: SUPPLEMENTARY TRAINING
Chief’s report
Member Smallwood explained
that he raised this inquiry as a result of a report he had read written by
Ontario Ombudsman P. Dubé entitled “A Matter of Life and Death”. The report
was not critical of policing but rather their training. The report states that
Ontario has the shortest de-escalation course in Canada if not in North America,
and there is a very high disparity between the training programs offered across
various municipalities. The report mentions that one of the best training
policies is in British Columbia (BC) and Member Smallwood asked if the OPS is
using the B.C. model’s Crisis Intervention and De-escalation training.
Chief Bordeleau advised that
the OPS is just using the de-escalation training component from the BC model
because the OPS is mandated to use the Ontario Use of Force training model set
by the Province.
Responding to comments from Member Smallwood regarding
officers using communication as a de-escalation technique before considering
force options, Chief Bordeleau agreed that the first thing an officer does in
any crisis situation is attempt to de-escalate the situation through
communication, and 98% of the time they are successful in eliminating the
threat. The communication continuum is always present in the use of force model
as the officer assesses the behaviour of those involved.
Chief Bordeleau added that there are ongoing discussions
between the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police (OACP) and the Ministry of
Community Safety and
Correctional Services (MCSCS) about the Ombudsman’s
recommendations and enhancing the public’s trust and confidence in the model.
That
the Ottawa Police Services Board receive this report for information.
RECEIVED
8.
RESPONSE
TO INQUIRY I-16-05: MEDIA STATEMENTS
Chief’s report
Member Smallwood wanted clarification
on what process, or checks and balances, are in place in the event the police want
to be selective with information released to the media. The Chief responded that
the information released to the media (in the Gill murder case) was factual and
did not contain any false information; it was used to advance investigative
leads.
Chair El-Chantiry asked the Chief
where the Crown fits into the process. Chief Bordeleau noted that the Crown
was consulted in the preparation of the media release and was fully supportive
of its content.
That
the Ottawa Police Services Board receive this report for information.
RECEIVED
9.
OUTSTANDING BOARD
INQUIRIES & MOTIONS: SEPTEMBER 2016
Executive Director’s
report
That
the Ottawa Police Services Board receive this report for information.
RECEIVED
10. LETTERS OF COMMENDATION
That
the Ottawa Police Services Board receive this report for information.
RECEIVED
OTHER
BUSINESS
COMMUNICATIONS
1.
PROPOSED
CHANGES TO THE HIGHWAY TRAFFIC ACT
Letter dated 3 August 2016 from The
Honourable Steven Del Duca, Minister of Transportation in response to the
Board’s letter dated 22 March 2016
That the Ottawa Police Services Board
receive this communication for information.
RECEIVED
CONSIDERATION OF MOTION TO MOVE IN
CAMERA
Moved by J.
Harder
That the Ottawa Police
Services Board adjourn the public portion of its meeting to move In Camera to
discuss confidential items pertaining to legal and personnel matters, in
accordance with Section 35(4)(b) of the Police Services Act.
CARRIED
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 5:05 p.m.
(original signed by) (original
signed by)
____________________________ _____________________________
W. Fedec E.
El-Chantiry
Executive Director Chair