The Ottawa Police Service (OPS) says it has seen “positive” results to a new strategy to reduce crime and increase foot patrols and officer presence in high-priority areas in the downtown core.
Statistics from Ottawa police report an increase in the number of officers in the ByWard Market and Rideau Street has led to a 17.9 per cent reduction in calls for service and a 4.62 per cent reduction in crime.
Police have been targeting eight “hot spots” of “high crime concentration” areas as part of the service’s new Community Outreach Response and Engagement (CORE) strategy introduced last summer. The plan is meant to increase visibility of officers and community organizations to deter crime and improve perceptions of public safety.
The plan also included a new neighbourhood operations centre in the Rideau Centre mall that opened in June.
“The current analysis shows a clear correlation between proactive policing and decreased …