Anti-crime program on the chopping block

By Evgeniya Kulgina

Crime Prevention Ottawa has helped Hintonburg to become a safer community. (Li/offCentre)

Crime Prevention Ottawa could be the next victim of city budget cuts, and Hintonburg community leaders are speaking out.

Since its inception in 2005, Crime Prevention Ottawa (CPO) has been working to address the root causes of crime in local communities, focusing on issues like gang violence and street-level prostitution.

Since last Friday’s surprise announcement that the city may cut CPO’s budget completely, Hintonburg residents are fighting to save the program.

“We are going to work really hard to stop [shutting down of Crime Prevention Ottawa] if it can be reversed,” said Cheryl Parrott, Hintonburg Security Committee co-chair.

Parrott admitted she was sceptical of the idea of a crime prevention group when the organization was launched several years ago. But she added that she quickly changed her mind after seeing how much the office had helped make Ottawa neighbourhoods safer. Parrott said the organization has been a major force in curbing crime in Hintonburg.

CPO has also become a research body for various issues in the Hintonburg community, including prostitution and gang activity.

“If we had Crime Prevention Ottawa in the 90s, when we went through such rough times here in Hintonburg, we wouldn’t have to work nearly as hard as we did,” said Parrott. “We wouldn’t have to research what’s happening across Canada. We would have had all this information.”

The crime prevention office recently released a study about youth gang activities in Ottawa neighbourhoods. Parrott said that understanding the causes of crime is key in preventing it.

CPO has also helped fund several of Hintonburg’s community projects. Several years ago, the Hintonburg Community Association got a grant from Crime Prevention Ottawa to help support the local children’s break dance group HB Breakers. Last week, HB Breakers proved that the money was well spent when they performed in the Senate chambers on Parliament Hill.

CPO is also working to fight crack houses in Hintonburg. They are now pushing for legislation that would allow people to complain about criminal activity in their neighbourhoods. The complaint would then result into a public safety investigation, while the complainant’s name wouldn’t be released.

CPO has also been focusing on recognizing communities’ efforts to fight crime. Earlier this month, Hintonburg Security Committee received an award from the crime prevention office for creation of Ottawa’s john school, a program aimed at reducing street-level prostitution by educating men who solicit prostitutes.

“Crime Prevention Ottawa is something that is really needed, and [shutting down of the Crime Prevention Office] is going to affect everybody in the city, really,” said Wayne Rodney, another co-chair of Hintonburg Security Committee.

“If you don’t have it, you are going to have more police,” he added. City councillor Clive Doucet agrees.

“Councillor Doucet thinks shutting CPO down is a bad idea because in the long run, it will cost the city more money to fight crime without the crime prevention office,” said Pierre Johnson, a spokesman for Doucet.

Members of the audit committee that voted in favour of shutting down CPO’s could not be reached for comment.

CPO’s final fate will be determined January 25th, when City Council votes on the city’s 2010 budget.