Ottawa police unveil new focussed strategy for traffic enforcement

Published May 04, 2024 • Last updated 1 hour ago • 2 minute read

Starting Monday, Ottawa Police Service unveil a new approach to traffic enforcement in the city. Photo by Ashley Fraser /POSTMEDIA

Ottawa Police Service is kicking off a new approach to traffic enforcement in the city on Monday.

“Traffic-related issues vary from one community to the next;” Ottawa police district traffic manager Sgt. Craig Roberts said in a news release Friday.

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“With that in mind, we’re adjusting the way we do business by focusing on issues that adversely impact residents’ quality of life and aligning our resource deployments to address those issues,” he said.

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Under the system, frontline officers will use community and city councillor feedback to strategically deploy to problem areas across the city.

Officers will also utilize information sources such as the Fatal Collision Review Committee, speeding data and patrol observations to inform their enforcement strategies.

The report says that frontline officers will conduct a number of traffic initiatives quarterly, focussing on themes such as:

SpeedingStunt drivingImpaired drivingDisruptive vehicle noiseResidential-area intersection compliance

“Educating drivers on safe driving behaviours will be a core component of this new approach,” the release states.

“We recognize that there’s no one-size-fits-all when addressing Ottawa’s traffic concerns,” Acting Superintendent Marc-André Sheehy noted.

“For example, rural communities’ traffic concerns can vary from those of their suburban and urban counterparts,” Sheehy said.

“So it’s important that we listen to communities’ priorities and adjust our enforcement plans accordingly.”

Police are confident this approach will “dedicate OPS resources to traffic issues across the city … without compromising the OPS’ ability to respond to calls for service or overall response times.”

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The traffic enforcement changes are part of a larger pilot project of a new district policing model unveiled April 30.

Chief Eric Stubbs said that budget consultations had revealed a need for greater engagement and officer visibility in communities across the city, particularly at the level.

In response to these concerns, the OPS is has developed a new district deployment model that “will identify and respond to priorities unique to Ottawa’s vast neighbourhoods and communities.”

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