Council backs police-led reforms
Original motion calling for non-police responses to mental health calls redrawn
Ottawa city council voted unanimously Wednesday to back the Ottawa Police Service in its efforts to craft a new strategy for dealing with calls related to mental health issues.
Capital ward Coun. Shawn Menard won the full support of council with a motion he had significantly rewritten from the version he and Coun. Catherine McKenney first intended to put before their colleagues.
The original draft called on the police service to consult with the public about who other than police officers should respond to calls involving people with addictions or in mental health crises.
People want to see that their city council is supporting a process of meaningful change. Here's our chance to do that,- Coun. Shawn Menard
Menard, who has previously supported moves to defund police in favour of diverting money toward other community services, said he revised his motion after working with Coun. Diane Deans, who chairs the police services board.
The motion approved Wednesday supports the police service's plan to roll out a new mental health strategy over three years. That will still mean consulting widely, including with advocates fighting homelessness and members of the Black and Indigenous communities.
"We know there's appetite for these changes," said Menard, citing protests last week after Ottawa police Const. Daniel Montsion was acquitted of charges in the 2016 death of Abdirahman Abdi, a Black man who had a mental health issue.
"People want to see that their city council is supporting a process of meaningful change. Here's our chance to do that," said Menard.
Improving social services
Council is not legally permitted to tell the police service what to do, but several councillors said they nevertheless approved of the vision laid out by Chief Peter Sloly, who marks one year at the helm of the force today, and his efforts to rebuild trust in the community.
The new strategy might involve staffing the police dispatch centre with a mental health professional to help with some 911 calls, or extra training for all sworn officers, according to the motion.
Deans said the province also needs to get involved by boosting funding for mental health services and the city's housing strategy.
"Homelessness, poverty, addiction issues, mental health issues ... we should be supporting those so they don't end up in police outcomes at the end. That's the failure," said Deans.
