The Oak Bay Police Department wants to know what residents want from their police service.
They’ve undertaken a process to gather information from the community so that a four-year strategic plan can be developed. The plan will address issues such as resources and the “philosophy of the service.”
“It’s important to involve the community to find out what they value,” said Chief Mark Fisher.
“There’s always the risk that we become to inwardly focussed and then a disconnect can happen between what the community wants and what we think is important.”
That’s not to say that members of the force won’t have their input; the process actually started with talking to members of the police department a few months ago.
The focus is now on community residents.
Fisher has been on the road with police board member, Sandra Waddington, to meet with representatives from schools, business and other community organizations, all in an effort to garner the greatest possible input.
“For example, right now we have a policy of ‘no call too small’,” said Fisher. “We believe that people appreciate having us get out there to the less urgent calls to make that connection. We need to confirm that it’s what people want.”
Beyond meeting with community groups, the police have developed a survey that can be completed online. The survey has been reproduced in today’s Oak Bay News and can be completed and returned to make your voice heard. ?????? Page No.?
Fisher said that the strategic plan will be an important part to guiding the police department in the future.
“Policing is completely different today from what it was 20 years ago,” he said. “What we need to plan is what will it look like in the future”.
For more information or to complete the survey online go to oakbaypolice.org.