New NRT begins mid-August in the Bayshore area

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, July 31, 2020   2:00pm 

(Ottawa)—The Ottawa Police Service (OPS) is pleased to announce that it will be launching its fifth Neighbourhood Resource Team (NRT), this one in the Bayshore area starting August 17^th. 

“The Bayshore NRT was originally scheduled to launch in the Fall, but considering recent shooting incidents in the area, and the fact that more officers are already there conducting proactive patrols, we felt it was important to get this new NRT operating sooner,” said Acting Deputy Chief Jamie Dunlop. “We have had great success with the program so far in other neighbourhoods in Ottawa and we are hoping that by focusing our resources in Bayshore it will help to reduce a recent uptick in street violence in the area.” 

The first NRTs were launched in October 2019, and include frontline officers, community police officers, school resource officers and traffic services officers. They work in tandem and collaboratively with City services to deliver a more holistic approach to policing. Additionally, these teams meet with community leaders to tailor police response unique to those specific neighbourhoods. 

The NRTs are the cornerstone of our community policing model and will expand as we move forward to include more neighbourhoods impacted by an increase in social disorder or other criminality. 

“Our goal is to work with the community to develop a plan that fits each specific neighbourhood,” added A/Deputy Chief Dunlop. “Our NRT officers receive specialized training, including cultural and bias neutral courses, to help them better-serve, understand and protect each impacted community.” 

A sixth NRT in Centretown will be launched in the Fall of 2020. For more information, please visit ottawapolice.ca/NRT

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