Canadian Police Chief Magazine/La Revue des chefs de police du Canada - Winter/Hiver 2008 - (Page 34)

“These agencies are blazing new trails for our profession, and I know that these programs will help others build and strengthen the important work that they do.” continued from page 33 best-in-class answers earned each organization the International Association of Chiefs of Police/Motorola Webber Seavey Award for Quality in Law Enforcement. York Regional Police, Ontario; Ottawa Police Service, Ontario; and Montreal Police Service Neighbourhood Station 26, Quebec were recognized for excellent police work. They were selected from a ﬁeld of entries representing 117 agencies and departments from 10 countries, and recognized at the IACP’s annual conference in New Orleans last October. The IACP/Motorola Webber Seavey Award is presented annually to agencies and departments worldwide to recognize quality in law enforcement through forward-thinking programs. The winners demonstrate excellence in law enforcement and dedication to the quality of life in local communities. The award is named for Webber S. Seavey, the IACP’s ﬁrst president. “The IACP/Motorola Webber Seavey Award gives us an opportunity to applaud innovative and successful programs that law enforcement agencies worldwide are accomplishing to make their communities safer,” said MG Joseph C. Carter, Adjutant General of the Massachusetts National Guard and President of the IACP. “These agencies are blazing new trails for our profession, and I know that these programs will help others build and strengthen the important work that they do.” among the safest communities in Canada. However, the perception of safety by residents did not reﬂ ect the statistics. In response to community survey results that revealed citizens were concerned about youth and gang crime, York Regional Police decided to meet that challenge head-on. The police recognized that a longterm comprehensive strategy had to focus on the elements of prevention, intervention and enforcement to be effective, but that community members also had an interest and a role to play. The police service partnered with the community to develop and implement the Guns, Gangs and Youth Violence Community Strategy. The strategy included a comprehensive analysis of: • crime patterns in York Region; • trends for guns and gangs in other areas and other countries; • ﬁeld research; and • best practices studies. Armed with this data, the police service established focus groups in partnership with community organizations. The combination of front-line ofﬁcers and social service representatives proved to be a comfortable forum for the community in which to learn and identify solutions. Parent associations, faith groups, community organizations and recreational sports leagues all joined the police to create an anti-gang strategy that balances law enforcement strategies and shares responsibility with the community. “Making a difference in our community starts with the community,” said York Regional Police Chief Armand La Barge. “Implementing new youth programs, offering free transportation to recreational centres and involving young police ofﬁcers in youth mentoring programs has resulted in a signiﬁcant drop in street-level crime typically committed by youth.” York Regional Police also bolstered its ongoing programs for children and youth, both in schools and at the Community Safety Village of York Region. Beginning with ﬁrst-graders who learn important safety messages at the Safety Village, to school liaison ofﬁcers who mentor youth up to grade 12, ofﬁcers teach youth how to develop the important decision-making skills they need to make healthy lifestyle choices. “Success here was achieved not just by police, but by our community partners as well,” La Barge said. OTTAWA POLICE SERVICE: CREATING A STRATEGIC STAFFING INITIATIVE The Ottawa Police Service in Ottawa, Ontario, a three-time IACP/Motorola Webber Seavey Award winner, encountered a new challenge in multiple staffing issues in 2002. The service faced a surge of retirements, burgeoning overtime payments, overly taxed staff and new laws guaranteeing ofﬁcers family leave time. Additionally, Ottawa’s demographics had been changing, bringing in more urban problems like drugs, guns and prostitution. The Service did not have the resources needed to respond swiftly to these labour-intensive issues. “We took a view that we were going to explore what was out there,” explained Ottawa Police Service Supt. Knowlton Roberts, who became project director in 2003. “Before, the common thought process was, ‘The population has increased 10 per cent, we need 10 per cent more.’ This was about a new way of thinking.” The result was the Strategic Stafﬁng Initiative, which uses innovative staffing approaches such as: • Platoon shift schedule: This solution resulted from an analysis of the peak time and days of service calls, and resulted in stafﬁng levels being matched to calls for service. • Fixed shifts: A solution for employees with inﬂ exible schedule needs to manage issues such as childcare. Shifts are assigned by seniority during an annual draw. • Just-in-time stafﬁng: Previously, a YORK REGIONAL POLICE: BALANCING PREVENTION, INTERVENTION, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Statistically speaking, York Region, Ontario, a community of about one million residents north of Toronto, is 34 WINTER/HIVER 2008

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Canadian Police Chief Magazine/La Revue des chefs de police du Canada - Winter/Hiver 2008 Contents Message from the President Message du président Travelling Child Sexual Offenders – Is the Canadian Policing Community Prepared? Touristes pédophiles – Les policiers canadiens sont-ils prêts? By/par Michael Serapiglia The Challenge of Street Gangs in Canada: Imagining a Comprehensive Response Imaginer une réponse complète au problème des gangs de rue CACP Private Sector Liaison Committee: Working to Share Information and Best Practices Comité de liaison avec le secteur privé de l’ACCP : À l’oeuvre pour échanger les informations et les pratiques exemplaires CACP Professional Standards Subcommittee: Contributing to the Professionalism of Policing Le Sous-comité des normes professionnelles de l’ACCP : pour plus de professionnalisme dans les forces policières Canadian Police Earn International Recognition for Innovation La police canadienne, reconnue internationalement pour ses innovations Nomination Deadlines for 2008 CACP Awards Dates limites des mises en candidature aux prix 2008 de l’ACCP Buyers’ Guide Guide de l’acheteur Calendar of Events Calendrier des événements Index to Advertisers Index des annonceurs

Canadian Police Chief Magazine/La Revue des chefs de police du Canada - Winter/Hiver 2008

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