Police release Q3 report: slight decrease in demand for service

The Ottawa Police Service (OPS) is reporting a 20 per cent increase in criminal offences per officer compared to 2021, according to the service's third quarter performance report to be presented to the Ottawa Police Services Board on Monday, Nov. 28.

Provided to the Ottawa Police Services Board (OPSB) on a quarterly basis, the report highlights key metrics of OPS performance, such as response times, emergency calls and total demand for service.

Between July and September of 2022 there was a two per cent decrease in calls over the same period the year prior, totalling 97,265 calls (compared to 99,431 in Q3 of 2021).

Despite an overall lower call volume, there is a notable 12 per cent increase in online reporting since the second quarter of 2022, 14 per cent more than the five-year average. The report attributes the higher number to increasing thefts under $5,000, gas and bicycle thefts in the city.

The report also highlights the number of criminal offences each officer handles during the quarter. On average, OPS officers dealt with eight criminal offences during the third quarter, a nearly 20 percent increase from the same period in 2021. OPS blames increasing reporting of theft (shoplifting, motor vehicles) for the upward trend.

Service time, referring to the cumulative amount of time officers spend dealing with calls, was down in Q3, but is still well above average in 2022 (260,000 hours compared to the five-year average of 230,000).

In its report, the OPS states the statistics point to a return to normal after a decline in demand following pandemic-related restrictions, and reflects “the growing pressures affecting service delivery, notably staffing.”

Ottawa city council approved a 2 per cent increase in the OPS budget for 2022, $11.5 million more than the previous year's, totalling $346.5 million. Former OPS chief Peter Sloly initially asked for a 2.86 per cent increase, but the OPSB denied the request citing calls from community advocates to redirect police funding to other social services.

During his municipal election campaign, newly-elected Mayor Mark Sutcliffe stated he wanted to expand the police budget, hire up to 100 more positions over four years and called for the “targeted, limited use” of CCTV cameras.

With the new council in place, city of Ottawa budget deliberations are set to begin in the coming weeks.