Police chief's 1st budget takes aim at rock-bottom morale

Chief Peter Sloly's first budget at the helm of the Ottawa Police Service (OPS) will focus on easing "emotional tensions" on the force, the likes of which he said he's never seen before.

Sloly, who's been on the job just eight days, said Wednesday the meetings he's had so far with rank-and-file officers have left him with a stark impression.

"I have seen a lot of things in policing in 30 years, and I've mentioned before that I've done policing across the world," Sloly told the police services board as the 2020 draft budget was tabled.

There is a level of emotional tension in this organization that I have not experienced in any organization, private sector or public sector.- Ottawa police Chief Peter sloly

"I have yet to have an experience as I've had in the last week and a half. There is a level of emotional tension in this organization that I have not experienced in any organization, private sector or public sector."

Officers are frustrated and dealing with "difficult" emotions stoked by constant pressure to do more with less, Sloly told the board.

"I will tell you unhesitatingly, chair and board, the investment that we are going to make now and in the future, financially and otherwise, to address member wellness and morale will be the best investment you make."

The draft budget lists wellness and morale as a top priority, adding $4.2 million in "wellness programming" including peer support, specialized health programming, and unlimited access to professional psychological services and resilience training. 

The force will also spend $4.4 million to hire 30 more officers. 

Community police teams bolstered

Sloly said that tension he's detected among officers is being felt out in the community as well.

"We're not happy with service levels, we want to feel safer, we want a better relationship with your officers, we want to be respected, and we want to give respect but we're not there yet," Sloly said residents have told him.

He's vowing to give the community a decision-making role, and acknowledged that might not sit well with some OPS members.

"It'll make the organization uncomfortable, the extent to which I want community to have eyes on our decisions and have actual meaningful input into where we put our officers and how they're deployed," he said.

The service plans to deploy 13 of the new officers to community posts in neighbourhoods with high rates of crime. Sloly said those neighbourhoods haven't been selected yet, but promised community members will have a say.

The budget will also fund a permanent equity, diversity and inclusion office, tasked with building trust between police and communities, and promoting an internal culture that values diversity.

Police stay within spending cap 

The draft police budget abides by city council's request to cap spending increases at three per cent, thanks in part to $2.2 million in savings, including the merging of some back-office operations with the city's.

The merge was proposed during last year's budget deliberations.

The OPS will also receive $1.3 million from red light camera revenue and a $2.4 million boost from surplus funds next year. 

The board will hear from the public Nov. 14 before approving the final version of the budget on Nov. 25.