`All hands' needed in fight, mayor says
Watson says multiple agencies must be involved: `It really is all hands on deck'
It will take a holistic approach involving multiple agencies and organizations to reduce crime in Ottawa, Mayor Jim Watson said following a Wednesday meeting with police Chief Peter Sloly.
“It really is all hands on deck," Watson said in an interview, “because this is not just a crime issue. It's a social services issue, it's a homelessness issue, it's a mental health issue.”
The meeting, which in addition to Watson and Sloly included representatives from other agencies and organizations, took place three days after a shooting in the ByWard Market.
Overnight Sunday, a man shot and wounded a security guard who had barred him from entering an establishment there, Ottawa police said.
The shots sent bar-goers into a panic and drew the attention of nearby officers, who pursued the man and were fired upon at least once before arresting him. Andre Green, from Scarborough, Ont., has been charged with attempted murder and several firearms offences.
Though there have been nearly 60 shootings in Ottawa so far in 2021, the public nature of the incident and the fact that it happened in the heart of the city, in a busy area popular with tourists, has pointed a spotlight on the issue of gun violence and the wider issue of crime prevention in Ottawa.
“It was a pretty brazen shooting,” Watson said. “That kind of activity always acts as a catalyst for people to correspond with me and for colleagues to talk to me about what we're doing to minimize that kind of activity and ultimately to eliminate it.”
The shooting was the second act of violence in the ByWard Market over Labour Day holiday weekend. Another man was stabbed on Saturday morning.
It is frequently among the most violent neighbourhoods in the city and disproportionately the scene of homicides, partly because of its higher rates of homelessness and substance abuse and its concentration of bars, researchers say.
Watson has floated the idea of additional security cameras in the area, but Wednesday's meeting centred on how the city's organizations and institutions could work together to prevent crime.
“We spent a lot of time dealing with not just policing issues, but also challenges with people dealing with mental health problems, homelessness and other social challenges that often lead to criminal activity,” Watson said. “I think we need a much more holistic approach with all these people at the table sharing information and best practices.”
Crime in Ottawa, while it may tend to concentrate in downtown areas like the Market, is also a problem in suburban areas, the mayor said, using the example of a recent drive-by shooting in Kanata. In that incident, a 21-year-old man was found injured in the Bridlewood area after police responded to reports of shots fired.
“Often we think of crime being in the downtown core, and unfortunately it is in our suburban communities as well,” Watson said.
A leadership table — a sort of working group — that includes police, social services, housing providers, public health officials and others has been formed to discuss ways of preventing crime at its root. They are expected to meet next week and will bring new ideas to the table, Watson said.
The police remain an important part of that conversation for Watson despite some calls to defund the department, and he reiterated his defence of the force.
“I stressed to the chief that I won't be supporting any notion of defunding the police. We're a growing city and with growing cities come growing crime problems, and any proposals to reduce the police budget I will not support whatsoever, and I believe the majority of my colleagues in council feel the same way.”