Latest news with #NathalieGougeon
CBC
4 days ago
- Politics
- CBC
Audit finds shortfalls with Ottawa police's recruitment, staffing efforts
A recent audit has found numerous shortfalls in the Ottawa Police Service's (OPS) recruitment and staffing that are affecting everything from deployment to training and psychological assessments. The office of Nathalie Gougeon, the city's auditor general, released the report on its website Thursday. It's set to come to the Ottawa Police Service Board's finance and audit committee on Friday. The report found a long list of outdated policies and said the challenges have historically led to staffing shortages, service gaps and "negative impacts on member wellness." One problem concerns how many officers are deployed. OPS is contractually required to maintain at least 42 patrol cars on duty at all times. But that target dates back 30 years, and doesn't account for population growth or the sharp increase in calls for service. "OPS has not conducted a comprehensive review of its deployment methodology and associated targets to ensure it reflects current service demands," the report said. According to the report, OPS recognizes the 42-car requirement is insufficient and has set an informal goal of 48 patrol cars. Nonetheless, it often misses that goal. The service is relying more on overtime to fill the gap, with overtime costs increasing 242 per cent from 2020 to 2024, when they reached $2.34 million. The report warns that insufficient frontline resources could put OPS at risk of "continued operational strain and reduced service effectiveness." The OPS is already taking action to address some of its staffing problems, including through a staffing stabilization strategy and the shift to a district policing model. Long hiring process, missing records Part of the challenge could stem from the amount of time it takes the force to hire officers. While the standard hiring time for police forces is six to nine months, the audit found that OPS sometimes took longer than a year. But the challenges go beyond the sheer number of officers. The investigation also found that when it comes to mandatory training courses, documentation showing that officers had completed those courses was often missing. The auditor's office looked at a sample of 25 sworn officers. In 11 cases, evidence that the officers had completed a patrol carbine user course was missing. For anti-racism training, documentation was missing in four cases. Twelve of the officers were missing evidence that they had completed victim bill of rights training, while 21 lacked documentation for completing training on how to respond to critical incidents. The auditor's office noted that it's possible the officers did complete the training, but there's no way to be sure. "Without evidence that sworn officers have completed all mandatory training within the expected timeframes, there is a risk that these officers are not equipped or qualified to undertake their daily responsibilities," the report said. 'Unsuitable' recruits move through hiring process The OPS hiring process includes psychological assessments to ensure "good moral character and suitability for policing." According to their policy, candidates deemed "unsuitable" are supposed to be removed from the process and barred from reapplying for a year. But that isn't always happening. The auditor's office reviewed 15 sworn officer staffing files and found two cases where a recruit was deemed unsuitable by the psychologist and nonetheless was allowed to proceed. Psychologists can also deem a candidate "suitable with concerns," requiring further verification and validation. But there were two cases where there was no evidence that followup had happened. "By not adhering to the established recruitment policies, OPS is recruiting candidates who may not possess the necessary mental fitness and suitability to serve in law enforcement," the report said. While the OPS is falling short of its own policies on that score, the report acknowledges that — according to modern practices — psychological assessments shouldn't be used as a pass-or-fail criteria. Instead, they should be part of a comprehensive approach. In fact, the report finds that numerous OPS policies are out of date. While some have been updated in recent years, there's a long list of policies that haven't been amended in the past five, ten or even 15 years. The auditor general's office made 10 recommendations. OPS management accepted all of them.
CTV News
4 days ago
- Politics
- CTV News
‘Outdated' staffing targets limiting Ottawa police efficiency, auditor general finds
The Ottawa Police Service is deploying frontline officers based on 'outdated targets,' meaning it cannot 'meet its mandate of effective and efficient policing' in the capital, according to the auditor general. The report, to be tabled to the Ottawa Police Service's finance and audit committee on Friday, also concludes police have a 'lack of evidence' to show officers have completed all mandatory training and there is 'inconsistent formal tracking' of training across the service. Auditor General Nathalie Gougeon's office was asked in October 2023 to conduct an audit to assess the risks and opportunities within the service to improve efficiency. The audit concluded, 'frontline deployment targets are outdated and increasingly difficult to sustain.' According to the audit, the Ottawa Police Service's contractually obligated target of a minimum of 42 frontline patrol cars on duty at any time 24 hours a day was established during Ottawa's amalgamation in 1995 and has not been formally assessed since then. The report says police recognize the 'insufficiency of the 42-patrol car requirement,' and typically target a higher deployment level of closer to 48 patrol vehicles. 'This is an informal target and is not consistently achievable given frontline resource constraints,' the audit says. 'Interviews with Platoon Duty Inspectors indicated that while 48 vehicles are the operational goal, the contractual minimum of 42 is often all that is achievable, particularly during night shifts and shift changeovers.' The audit notes staffing challenges, including rising sick leave, have left police 'challenged to meet its minimum deployment targets, increasingly relying on overtime.' 'Without establishing the appropriate number of frontline resources to address the current needs of the community, OPS cannot position itself to meet its mandate of effective and efficient policing,' the auditor general's report says. 'Further, without the corresponding appropriate number of frontline resources, OPS risks continued operational strain and reduced service effectiveness.' According to the report, the Ottawa Police Service agrees with the recommendation to review frontline deployment requirements, and the chief of police will determine the minimum employment requirements needed to maintain 'adequate and effective' policing in Ottawa. An analysis of frontline deployment requirements is scheduled to be completed by the fall of 2026. In 2027, the Ottawa Police Service will shift to a new four district policing model, with plans to hire 63 new officers and civilians to implement the deployment model. The 2025 Ottawa Police Services budget includes funding for 22 new sworn officers and 28 new civilians this year. The service's hiring plan includes hiring 145 officers a year over three years, including new recruits and experienced officers, along with covering retirements and resignations. 'Limited oversight' on training The auditor general's officer also found 'limited oversight relative to completion of mandatory training of sworn officers.' Officers are legislatively required to undergo use of force training and requalification, but the report says there is 'no functionality within the system' to track progress against required training or alerts/notifications when training is coming due or is overdue. 'Use of force training and requalification are being tracked effectively and prompt action is taken to recover related equipment for all individuals who are not in compliance,' the report says. 'However, a current, complete matrix of mandatory training by role and rank does not exist and there is inconsistent formal track of completion of mandatory training across the service. This has resulted in a lack of evidence to demonstrate all mandatory training has been completed.' An audit of the training records of 25 sworn officers found that all officers were missing evidence of the completion of mandatory training courses, according to the auditor general. The report says 11 officers were missing evidence of qualification for patrol carbine user course or required requalification course and 21 officers were missing evidence of qualification for the 'multi-jurisdictional police response to a critical incident' training. Ottawa police say they agree with the recommendation to ensure a comprehensive mandatory training matrix – organized by role and rank – is developed. Other issued flagged by Ottawa's auditor general about Ottawa police: Staffing policies are outdated and do not reflect current practices. The report notes policies for some positions were updated over five years ago. The amount of time taken to recruit sworn officers may potentially lead to the loss of prospective candidates. The report says a benchmark analysis from police services across Ontario shows the standard time to hire from initial application to an offer of employment is between six and nine months, but in some cases, it exceeds one year in Ottawa. Current practices related to record-keeping of candidate recruitment files resulted in challenges in locating and accessing recruitment documents. No reliable tool available to support sworn staffing decisions. Multiple systems used for scheduling and time reporting create inefficiencies and risk of error. 'OPS continues to develop and implement strategies for sustainable staffing. As Ottawa continues to grow and the complexity of policing increases, our audit has identified areas where additional focus is required to support its staffing and deployment strategies,' the auditor general writes.
Ottawa Citizen
06-07-2025
- Health
- Ottawa Citizen
Kavanagh: Complex housing needs can't just be left to the city
Article content On June 6, the City of Ottawa's auditor general, Nathalie Gougeon, and deputy auditor general Joanne Gorenstein tabled a compelling report on supportive housing. It points to a growing reality: The rising demand for affordable and supportive housing, combined with the rising complexity of health, mental health and/or substance use issues presents our greatest opportunity to improve outcomes and efficiency. Article content Article content If we integrate health and housing systems more effectively — properly align service delivery and funding mechanisms — we can better support individuals who are unstably housed or living in supportive housing. Article content Article content Supportive housing providers in Ottawa — such as Ottawa Salus, Options Housing, John Howard Society, Shepherds of Good Hope, Cornerstone Housing for Women and others — do exceptional work supporting people with complex needs. But they require greater funding to address high-acuity clients. Article content As chair of Ottawa Community Housing's (OCH) Board, I know our team also does exceptional work housing people. But approximately 12 per cent of tenants struggle to live independently and require more than just a roof over their heads; they require on-site or health and social supports as well, what are referred to as 'wraparound' services. Community housing was not designed and is not funded for this. That's why OCH's Complex Care Housing Strategy and new partnerships such as the Matthew Perry House are so critical: They bring together health and housing to reduce chronic homelessness and keep people stably housed. Article content Article content Article content Supportive housing — and community housing with embedded supports — are proven solutions. They reduce homelessness, hospital visits and emergency service use. It's cost-effective and it works. Article content On June 11, Ottawa Council passed my motion to send the auditor's report to both provincial and federal health and housing Ministers. Our message is clear: We are aligned on the need for sustained and increased funding and coordinated action to strengthen supportive housing and broader health and housing systems. Article content If we are to meet the moment, we cannot keep asking cities and non-profits to do this work without the resources to do it well. We can only scale up with provincial and federal government support.
Toronto Sun
07-05-2025
- Toronto Sun
Ex-City of Ottawa employee, landlord face criminal charges in alleged 'kickback scheme'
Case involves allegations that City of Ottawa case worker received kickbacks from landlords in exchange for favourable rental rates Ottawa police announced charges against a city employee. Photo by Tony Caldwell / Postmedia A former City of Ottawa employee has been charged with accepting a bribe, breach of trust and fraud after an investigation by the auditor general was turned over to Ottawa police. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. 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Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Police also charged a landlord with bribing a municipal employee, along with joint charges for breach of trust and fraud over $5,000. Police and city officials did not release the names of the two people charged in the alleged 'kickback scheme.' The case involves allegations that a former City of Ottawa case worker — identified only as 'Employee A' — received kickbacks from landlords in exchange for favourable rental rates under city housing programs. Auditor General Nathalie Gougeon outlined the initial allegations in a report to the city's audit committee in December 2024. The auditor general's office 'has since cooperated with the Ottawa Police Service in their investigation and shared any information required to be produced via production order,' according to a May 6 news release announcing the criminal charges. According to the report, the allegations were first raised through the city's fraud and waste hotline (FWHL), and the tip contained 'serious allegations of wrongdoing.' Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The auditor general 'promptly' informed the city solicitor, city managers and Ottawa police. The auditor general first started a preliminary investigation, and, following discussions with police, 'formally launched a full investigation.' The hotline report alleged the city case worker 'had received kickback payments from a group of landlords in exchange for these landlords receiving more favourable rental rates under specific housing benefit programs administered by the city.' The alleged 'kickback payments' began in January 2024, though the landlords received more favourable rental rates starting in approximately October 2023, according to the report. The unidentified 'landlord' in the report refers to four individuals and two corporations that are all overseen by one person, staff told the audit committee in December. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The auditor general, along with forensic specialists from Ernst and Young LLP, found records of $22,000 in payments from the landlord to the former city employee between Nov. 14, 2023 and Oct. 1, 2024. The employee was interviewed on Oct. 3, 2024 and told investigators they worked with the landlord part-time, but had not disclosed that relationship with anyone at the city. That constituted a breach of the city's code of conduct, according to the report. Investigators obtained banking records and data contained on the former employee's personal devices. They found 'several messages between Employee A and the landlord that would indicate that these payments were made by the landlord with the intention to utilize Employee A's role at the city to provide a financial benefit to the landlord.' One message from the landlord to the then-employee stated: 'Is there any way you can put a couple in there and get me a higher rent, like $2,300 or what can we do on this thing? It's a one-bedroom apartment, if you get me the rent, of course the bonus will be much larger.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Investigators observed 'multiple factors' that indicated the payments 'are consistent with a kickback scheme designed to provide a benefit to both the landlord and Employee A.' The employee was fired between October and December 2024. A second former city employee — referred to as Employee B in the report — is a family member of the accused employee who had knowledge of the alleged kickback scheme and did not disclose that information to the city. That was considered a breach of the city's code of conduct. Investigators also observed 'that Employee B was directly involved with collecting payment from the landlord to Employee A.' The second employee resigned, Gougeon told the committee. City management agreed with a staff recommendation to halt all business relationships with the landlord and said in December 'a plan is underway to terminate all existing business relationships with the landlord as it relates to housing allowance programs.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Investigators identified 31 affected tenants who had a rental relationship with the landlord, Gougeon told the committee in December. Staff were creating 'individualized transition plans' to find alternate accommodations for the affected tenants who were still residing in units owned by the landlord. The report cites 'multiple instances' where the housing case worker assisted clients in entering into leases on units that 'significantly exceeded the market value.' In one example, a client in need of housing signed a lease for a three-bedroom unit in the Ledbury/Heron Gate neighbourhood for $4,050, which is 63 per cent above the average rent of $2,491. In another example cited in the report, a client signed a lease for the same $4,050 rent in the Pineview area, which is 46 per cent above the average of $2,775. The report states there is a possibility that 'such significant increases in rental amounts may have resulted in inflationary rental prices in these areas.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The unidentified city employee was formally charged with breach of trust, receiving a bribe and fraud over $5,000. The two accused people were released with conditions and a promise to appear in court at a later date. The auditor general said she will not comment further while the case is before the courts. ahelmer@ Our website is your destination for up-to-the-minute news, so make sure to bookmark our homepage and sign up for our newsletters so we can keep you informed. Read More Columnists Toronto & GTA Toronto Blue Jays Editorial Cartoons Columnists
CBC
06-05-2025
- CBC
Police lay fraud charges in alleged kickback scheme involving city housing worker
Ottawa police have charged two people in connection with an alleged kickback scheme involving a City of Ottawa housing program. Police revealed on Tuesday that they have charged a former City of Ottawa case worker with breach of trust, fraud over $5,000 and receiving a bribe while working as a municipal employee. They have also charged a landlord with bribing a municipal employee, as well as breach of trust and fraud over $5,000. Police are not releasing the names of the former case worker or the landlord. They said both accused were released on an undertaking and will appear in court at a later date. None of the charges have been proven in court. Police said the charges followed an extensive investigation by their organized fraud section that was triggered by a report from the City of Ottawa's auditor general. Auditor General Nathalie Gougeon revealed in December that the scheme allegedly resulted in the city paying inflated rents — up to 63 per cent above market rates — to the landlord through a housing allowance program. In exchange for directing clients to the landlord, the former case worker allegedly got about $22,000 in payments, according to the auditor general's report. The payments allegedly took place from November 2023 to October 2024. The city accepted Gougeon's recommendations in relation to the case and confirmed that the case worker in question is no longer employed with the city.
