He told the board responsible for governance of the police service exactly that in his first verbal report since taking over as chief in November.Sign up to receive daily headline news from the Ottawa SUN, a division of Postmedia Network Inc.By clicking on the sign up button you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. You may unsubscribe any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link at the bottom of our emails or any newsletter. Postmedia Network Inc.
There are more people to meet, he says, but “the overwhelming theme is that they are interested in working with us, working with the police service, whether it’s to tackle issues specifically in their individual communities or with the community as a whole.” Stubbs also referenced demand for more police presence targeted at road safety; “ongoing pressure” surrounding cybercrime; and policing for protests, major events and state visits, like that of incoming U.S. President Joe Biden.
Stubbs’s verbal report to the board came on the heels of presentations by members of the public, many of whom advocated for rethinking proposed spending on policing, including the upcoming $400-million draft OPS budget. Board members voted Monday to approve its drafting based on a 2.5 per cent tax increase, up from the two per cent the service got last year.