These are the 8 'hot spots' Ottawa police will focus on downtown

Policing crime 'hot spots' Eight spots in the Downtown Rideau and ByWard Market areas will get extra police attention under a new plan. CTV's Dave Charbonneau reports.

A new report outlines eight specific parts of downtown Ottawa that will see increased police patrols as part of a new strategy focused on the ByWard Market and Rideau Street.

The report prepared for Monday's Ottawa Police Service Board meeting says these "hot spots" are areas of "high crime concentration" that will see increased visibility of law enforcement officers and community partners, with the intent of deterring crime and improving perceptions of public safety.

"Crime and disorder are not evenly distributed across the community but are concentrated in specific areas," the report says. "A sustained and visible police presence in hot spots is proven to prevent and disrupt crime. Evidence also indicates that rather than displacing crime to surrounding areas, the hot spot approach has a diffusion effect, improving safety and security throughout the wider community."

Crime statistics from the Ottawa Police Service show an 8 per cent increase in the crime rate in the Rideau-Vanier Ward between 2022 and 2023, including a 1.7 per cent increase in violent crime and a 9.5 per cent increase in non-violent crime. There were 42,264 calls for service in the ward in 2023.

A map included in the report shows eight locations where the police service will deploy intermittent, highly visible patrols, with help from OC Transpo and the City of Ottawa Community Engagement Team.

They are:

1. Rideau Street near Sussex Drive/Colonel By Drive

2. Rideau Street near Dalhousie Street

3. William Street and ByWard Market Square between George Street and York Street

4. Dalhousie Street between Rideau Street and George Street

5. Daly Avenue between Cumberland Street and King Edward Avenue

6. Clarence Street between Sussex Drive and Parent Avenue

7. King Edward Avenue between Besserer Street and Rideau Street

8. Rideau Street and Besserer Street between King Edward Avenue and Nelson Street

Hot spot policing is part of the Ottawa Police Service's new Community Outreach Response and Engagement (CORE) Strategy. The plan also includes the new neighbourhood operations centre in the Rideau Centre mall that officially opened late last month.

"Using advanced data analytics, CORE data analysts identified areas with high volumes and severity of crime. Operational decisions were made about which areas should be targeted for direct police interventions such as increased police presence or problem-oriented policing protocols," the report says.

The neighbourhood operations centre is used as a base of operations for police officers and special constables in the area and serves as the home of the new CORE frontline task force, which includes representatives from the Ottawa Police Service, Ottawa Community and Social Services, OC Transpo Special Constables, Ottawa Paramedics, Ottawa Bylaw, Ottawa Public Works and Ottawa Public Health. The report says the task force meets weekly to share information and organize foot patrols.

"You're going to see with that neighbourhood operations centre... it is not police-focused. We want this to be a community centre that happens to have the police in it," Stubbs told the Ottawa Police Service Board earlier this year. "You're not going to see police written all over this building. This is about the community, working with the community to get positive results. But, again, we have that piece of the pie. We want to help, but we've got to protect."

The CORE strategy has been criticized by some members of the community, who've said it would further punish vulnerable residents. Those opposed to the plan say they want to see more resources be spent on mental health initiatives, affordable housing, and aid for people with substance use disorders instead of more police officers.

Ottawa police Sgt. Paul Stan, CORE Strategy Lead says the goal of project is to improve the police service's presence in the area.

"It's about balancing the need for enforcement with support. So, this isn't about police crackdowns or strict enforcement, it's about maintaining a visible police presence to reassure the community that the police are present and active, and so interacting with members of the community as frequently as possible and having a very visible presence," he told CTV News Ottawa on Thursday. "Our aim is to start with de-escalation, with informing, educating, connecting, street level folks to the support that they need and then using the enforcement as sort of a last resort, whenever it's needed."

Police claim their strategy emphasizes a "collaborative approach" to public safety.

"The CORE Strategy has the potential to not only restore safety and well-being to downtown Ottawa but to also serve as a model for broader application across the city, thereby enhancing community engagement and optimizing police resources," the report says.

Patricia Phythian, owner of Frou Frou by Pat on York Street, says she was grateful to see police in the area.

"My God, I saw three cops walk by my store yesterday. It was mind blowing. I couldn't believe it. They walked by like they cared. And it was like, oh, I felt so good," she said.

--With files from CTV News Ottawa's Josh Pringle and Dave Charbonneau