Rideau Centre storefront chosen for new Ottawa police operations centre

The Ottawa Police Serviceplans to move intoa Rideau Centre storefront for itsnewoperations centre in the ByWard Market.

In a report thatwill go before the Ottawa Police Services Board onOct. 23, the forcerecommendedapproving a lease agreement with CF Rideau Centre for a five-year period starting Feb. 15, 2024.

The storefront, located at 50Rideau St.across from the Rideau LRT station,would be nearly 3,000 square feet.

The lease would cost $245,944.95 plus taxfor the first year of the agreement.

The police service is supporting a city-led initiative to create what it callsa"neighbourhood operations centre." Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe previously told CBCthe centre is not a police station, but a place where officers would be available.

Sutcliffe campaigned on a promise to increase the police presence in the ByWard Market.

The new operationscentre would give neighbourhood police officers a space to meet and collaborate withcommunity groups in the area, the report said.

Currently, the closest locations for officersto hold those meetings are either the community police centre in Vanier or the police headquarters on Elgin Street, according to the report.

"The [Rideau] location is the centre of high activity and high population density area and would allow the[Neighbourhood Resource Team]to continue its functions with minimal downtime, while increasing their visibility throughout the day," the report said.

Community policing in Ottawa

In 2017, Ottawa police withdrew all but 14 of its 60 neighbourhood officers. Community police officers are assigned to specific neighbourhoods and work with local residents, non-profits and community groups.

The move was heavily criticized at the time, and abouttwo years laterthe forceannounced it would restorecommunity policingto the Vanier/Overbrook, Heron Gate and Carlington neighbourhoods.

That pilot project targeted neighbourhoods with high rates of certain types of violentcrime and property crime.

Police expanded theprojectin 2020 to include theByWard Market, Lowertown, Centretown and Bayshore.

Amid callsfor defunding the police in July 2020, former police Chief Peter Slolyrestructured the forcetoexpand community policing, among other changes.

Some ByWard Market business ownerspreviously told CBC they're hopeful the new operationscentre will help mitigate security concerns in the area.