Crime Prevention Ottawa to be dissolved, replaced with advisory committee

UPDATE | Ottawa city council approved the committee recommendations on the advisory board review on July 12. 

Crime Prevention Ottawa is set to be dissolved and have its work folded into an advisory committee as part of a broader review of groups that provide advice to the City of Ottawa.

That recommendation was put forward by Coun. Catherine Kitts, vice-chair of the city's finance and corporate services committee, who noted an overlap in the mandate and membership of the two advisory groups. 

"This is not walking away from crime prevention. If anything, it is ensuring that we are doing as much as we can to prevent crime in Ottawa," Mayor Mark Sutcliffe said after the motion was carried.

Crime Prevention Ottawa's $1.2-million budget would be reallocated to the community safety and well-being plan.

Should the decision get the backing of full city council next week, Sutcliffe said the process to merge the two groups would happen as quickly as possible.

City staff have agreed to request a comment on the change from Ottawa police Chief Eric Stubbs before any final decision.

Chair thanks board

Coun. David Hill, chair of the board of Crime Prevention Ottawa, applauded the group's recent achievements and led a round of applause for interim executive director Ahmad Luqman, who stood in the gallery at city hall Tuesday. 

From funding research on downtown drug users to advocating for the elimination of barriers facing young men with criminal records, Hill said Crime Prevention Ottawa did important work.

But he also acknowledged the wisdom of merging the group with the community safety and well-being advisory committee.

"I acknowledge that change always comes friction, a bit of risk and uncertainty," Hill said. "But I do believe that with leadership in both organizations, we can see an outcome whereby the city is better served." 

Other councillors called for this to be part of a new approach that addresses the underlying causes of crime and instability in the community. 

"We're all safer when people's needs are met," said Capital ward Coun. Shawn Menard. 

Regular public meetings

The community safety and well-being advisory committee is mandated by the Police Services Act, according to the staff report presented at Tuesday's meeting. 

Its priorities include financial security and poverty reduction, mental well-being, gender-based violence, discrimination and housing.

A member of council will act as the liaison for the group, which must include certain members such as the chief of police and representative from the health, education and social services sectors. In general, advisory committees must have open meetings and be largely made up of members of the public. 

The clerk's office was tasked with reviewing the city's advisory bodies after an Ontario court decision and two ombudsman's reports found  advisory committees should be treated the same as any other local board, with its members subject to the city's code of conduct.