Ottawa Police Service issues its 2021 Annual Report

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, June 23, 2022    7:30am 

(Ottawa) – The Ottawa Police Service (OPS) has issued its 2021 Annual Report, which, along with Ward data maps, is now available on our website at ottawapolice.ca. 

This report contains important information about the initiatives the Service has implemented and the progress we have made. 

It also provides Ottawa residents with an overview of the number of calls for service, our response times, things we have done to support victims of crime, as well as other data that offers a snapshot of policing across the city. 

“Together with the community, we are rebuilding public trust, continuing to address systemic racism and violence against women, promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion, increasing our outreach efforts to ensure greater diversity among candidates during hiring processes, and contributing to our communities through neighbourhood policing,” said Interim Chief Steve Bell.  

Here are some of the highlights from 2021: 

• Demand for service increased 7 percent in 2021 to nearly 357,000 requests for service, translating into 24,000 more calls received through the dispatch system and 800 reports received online.
• With approximately 36,260 reported Criminal Code of Canada offences (excluding traffic) in the city of Ottawa, the level of reported crime increased by 8 percent last year. 
• The clearance rate for total Criminal Code offences (excluding traffic) declined by 2 percent, with 32 percent of all cases cleared by charge or cleared otherwise.
• Ottawa’s Crime Severity Index (CSI) increased by 4 percent last year to 50 points (Violent CSI 12 percent; Non-Violent CSI <1 percent).
• The volume of reported violent crimes increased by 7 percent in 2021, driven by assaults, sexual violations, and threats.
• Property related offences increased by 5 percent in 2021 primarily due to increases in the number of thefts, including thefts from motor vehicles.
• There were 15 homicides in 2021, with nearly 80 percent solved to-date.
• The number of shootings returned to historical levels with 82 incidents, while OPS officers also seized 80 crime guns through proactive work to address street violence in the community.
• Naloxone was administered by officers 85 times to help save lives last year.
• To address community concerns around road safety, OPS officers issued over 40,000 tickets, and 690 Part III charges for stunt driving.
• The number of collisions on our roadways declined by 5 percent to 10,800, while fatalities increased by 25 percent to 20 on Ottawa roadways. 

As the Province achieved milestones in the Roadmap to Reopen Ontario, and restrictive measures were lifted, the OPS has seen demand for policing services return to natural historical levels. 

Important work to do 

“Over the past few months, I have been reaching out to community leaders to ensure they know that our door is always open, and as a community partner we continue to be open and receptive to feedback that enhances the services we provide,” said Interim Chief Bell. “We will also continue to work with the Community Equity Council, a partnership we value.” 

This includes implementing new actions and measures:  

• Co-development of a use of force review committee comprising police and community members to review reports on police use of force incidents;
• A new, diverse hiring class that is representative of our community; and 
• Hiring an equity and race data specialist to continue previous efforts to increase reporting on police data (such as traffic stops and arrests) and building a community data hub for increased data transparency. 

It is our Service’s commitment that we will continue to pursue cultural and systemic change with the same focus.  

We know that we cannot do this alone. We value and need the partnership and input of our City and community leaders, marginalized voices and communities, and all residents of Ottawa who count on and rely on our services. 

We best move forward when we work together. 

“I am proud to be a part of the Ottawa Police and proud of the people I work with as much as I am proud of my Ottawa community,” said Interim Chief Bell. “We care about the community and want to be the police service this community deserves and needs.” 

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