Council backs police-led reforms

Ottawa city council voted unanimously Wednesday to back the Ottawa Police Service in its effortsto craft a new strategy for dealing with calls related to mental health issues.

Capital ward Coun. Shawn Menardwon the full support of councilwith a motion he had significantly rewritten from the version he and Coun. Catherine McKenneyfirst intended to put before their colleagues.

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The originaldraft called on the police service to consult with the public about who other than police officers should respond to calls involvingpeople withaddictions orin mental health crises.

People want to see that their city council is supporting a process of meaningful change. Here's our chance to do that,- Coun. Shawn Menard

Menard, who has previously supported moves to defund police in favour of diverting money toward othercommunity services,said he revised his motion after workingwithCoun. Diane Deans, who chairs the police services board.

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The motion approved Wednesday supportsthe police service's planto roll out a new mental health strategy over three years. That will still mean consultingwidely, including withadvocates fighting homelessness and members of the Black and Indigenous communities.

"We know there's appetite for these changes," said Menard, citing protests last week after Ottawa police Const. Daniel Montsionwas acquitted of charges in the 2016 death of Abdirahman Abdi, a Black man who had a mental health issue.

"People want to see that their city council is supporting a process of meaningful change. Here's our chance to do that," said Menard.

Improvingsocial services

Council is not legally permitted to tell the police service what to do, but severalcouncillors said they nevertheless approved of the vision laid out by Chief Peter Sloly, who marks one year at the helm of the force today, and his efforts to rebuild trust in the community.

The new strategy might involve staffing the police dispatch centre with a mental health professional to help with some911 calls, or extra training for all sworn officers, according to the motion.

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Deans said the province also needs to get involved by boosting funding for mental health services and the city's housing strategy.

"Homelessness, poverty, addiction issues, mental health issues ... we should be supporting those so they don't end up in police outcomes at the end. That's the failure," said Deans.