2015Waterloo Regional PoliceAnnual Report

TABLE OF CONTENTSABOUT USCHIEF LARKINPOLICE SERVICE BOARD OUR MEMBERS

COMMUNITYEVENTS AWARENESSCORRESPONDANTS

STATISTICSCRIMEUSE OF FORCEROAD SAFETY

SERVICECOSTSOCCURRENCESCITIZEN CALLSONLINE REPORTING

APPENDICIESCOMPLAINTSTHANK YOU LETTERS

ABOUT US At the Waterloo Regional Police Service, we believe strongly in community policing and are committed to making a difference in the many diverse and vibrant neighborhoods of Waterloo Region.

We are the seventh largest police service in the province of Ontario and under the governance of the Police Services Board and the leadership of Chief Bryan M. Larkin. Waterloo Regional Police serve the municipalities of Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge and the Townships of Wellesley, Wilmot, Woolwich and North Dumfries.

The Waterloo Regional Police Service is committed to crime prevention, law enforcement and community partnership in order to improve community safety and support the highest quality of life for all people.

We provide professional service to the community and our members offer specialized skills and expertise. Civilian members are hired to work in areas such as; Communications, Records Clerks, Special Constables, Information

Technology, Human Resources, Forensic Technicians, and Administrative positions.

Officers provide operational police service to the community consisting of frontline patrol, detectives, school resource, and special response. Officers undergo ongoing training - both mandated and developmental - in order to keep their knowledge and skills up to date. Collectively, the members of the organization work towards the objectives of the Strategic Business Plan.

On behalf of all members of the Waterloo Regional Police Service, thank you for taking the time to look back at 2015 with us as we share our Annual Report to the community. We are pleased to offer a variety of information through this site and to highlight our many successes, ongoing projects, and statistics on crime, road safety, and use of force. Also found in this reports is a review of the past year’s awareness initiatives and events.

Our organization made significant progress in 2015 and developed strategies to improve some of our internal and external business practices. We prepared to implement a new patrol shift schedule, realigned our zone boundaries, and began a review of our Investigative areas. We also launched an aggressive new Strategic Business Plan which offers hundreds of performance indicators through its themes of; Human Resources, Information Technology, Corporate Communications, Finance and Physical Assets, Neighbourhood Policing and Road Safety, Investigations and Youth, and the Office of the Chief of Police.

Along with our business planning process, the annual report provides us with an opportunity to pause and reflect on the accomplishments of the past while building a framework for the future. As we move forward as an organization and as a community, it is important to acknowledge these milestones in order to appreciate the history, contributions, and successes of our organization and its members.

As you review the content of this report, I invite you to consider how small daily and individual efforts impact the bigger picture and create a better future. We are truly, ‘People helping people’.

Best Regards,

CHIEF LARKIN

POLICE SERVICE BOARDOn behalf of all members of the Waterloo Regional Police Services Board, thank you for taking the time to review the Waterloo Regional Police Service’s 2015 Annual Report and for demonstrating an interest in community safety.

As the civilian oversight and governance body, this report is an important resource for residents as it provides access to information and statistics on crime, road safety, use of force, and the demand on service in our Region. For us, it represents transparency and accountability and is also a way to highlight the many successes of years past.

It is our pleasure to provide a review of 2015 and a recap of the services provided to the residents of Waterloo Region and all of our distinct and diverse neighbourhoods. We hope you find this report informative and engaging as it supports our mandate of providing effective police services to the Waterloo Region community.

The Waterloo Regional Police Service is made up of 1, 200 dedicated members who - officer or civilian - work together to keep our community safe. Waterloo Region, with a population of 575,000 people, offers diverse and unique communities throughout its three cities and four townships, of which our members are proud to serve.

Our members are skilled, trained, and willing to handle any situation that may arise in the interest of assisting or protecting the Waterloo Region community. Each member provides their own knowledge, experiences and background to the job and are committed to serving the residents of Waterloo Region.

Our operational service delivery to the community is directed by Chief of Police, Bryan Larkin with the support of the Deputy Chief of Operations, Kevin Thaler, and a Deputy Chief of Systems and Innovation, Kevin Chalk. Under their leadership the Service launched the 2015-2017 Strategic Business Plan which aims to strengthening public safety and quality of life by working in partnership with the community in crime prevention, law enforcement, and providing assistance to all those who need our help.

Often giving back to the people we serve, police members take pride in what they do and can often be found representing the Service both on and off the job as volunteers, mentors and role models.

OUR MEMBERS

COMMUNITYEvery year, members of the Waterloo Regional Police Service organize, host, and participate in a wide variety of events and programs. These events provide an opportunity to connect with our community, celebrate successes, build awareness and join together as an organization. The many diverse and vibrant Waterloo Region communities kindly invite police members to take part in countless local events throughout the year. It is a pleasure for members of the organization to give back, provide support, and contribute to our community partners and non-profit organizations in an effort to build a stronger Waterloo Region.

As a Service, we also make an effort throughout the year to promote awareness of ongoing or current crime trends and safety information in order to prevent crime and better protect those we serve. Education is at the core of what we do and we focus much of our efforts on sharing information and providing guidance to the public.

This section of the Annual Report provides a sample of some of the events and awareness campaigns of 2015. It also includes a report on formal community correspondences.

EVENTSKITCHENER RANGERS AND SPECIAL OLYMPICS

NEW RECRUITS

NAME OF CANINE

COPS PROGRAM

The Kitchener Rangers Hockey Club and the Waterloo Regional Police Service teamed up in support of Special Olympics Ontario. Chief Larkin dropped the ceremonial puck as the Rangers faced off against the Owen Sound Attack. A special Community Corner table offered opportunities for attendees to win a WRPS Ride Along, WRPS limited edition merchandise, and a Kitchener Rangers hockey jersey.

The Waterloo Regional Police Service welcomed three Recruit classes to the ranks in 2015. New officers completed their basic training at the Ontario Police College and were sworn in to receive their police badges. The new officers bring a wealth of skills, knowledge and experiences to their new careers. In addition to their variety of past experiences, the new members bring a wide range of interests and leadership roles through volunteerism in numerous community activities and agencies.

In April of 2015, the Waterloo Regional Police Service’s newest recruit had four legs, a tail – and no name. All local elementary schools within Waterloo Region were invited to participate in the dog naming contest and were asked to suggest one name per school. The top three names then went for a community vote. The winning schools received a visit from the Chief (and police dog ‘Chase’) to their school, and were recognized during a ceremony at Police Week Open House.

The Waterloo Regional Police Service, Cambridge Fire Department, Kinbridge and Langs hosted the Cambridge Outreach Programs (COPS) in May. The youth are matched up with a police or fire mentor and Conestoga College Emergency Service student who build healthy relationships with the young person throughout the year. Throughout the program the youth are given important education tips on drug awareness, social media safety, healthy relationships, kitchen safety, water safety and learn how they can volunteer in their community.

TOUR DIVIDEWaterloo Regional Police Sergeant Peter Viol took part in the 4,440 km ‘Tour Divide’ on June 12, 2015 in support of cancer research and programs at Grand River Hospital. Sergeant Viol will cycled from Banff, Alberta to Antelope Wells, New Mexico in this unsupported, off-road event over the course of a month. On difficult terrain, Pete braved the elements and raised almost $10,000 in donated funds

UNITED WAY CAMPAIGN

The Waterloo Regional Police Service once again participated in Random Act of Kindness (RAK) Day and surprised unsuspecting community members with gift cards, throughout Waterloo Region. Random Act of Kindness Day is a community initiative lead by the Kitchener Waterloo Community Foundation (KWCF) which promotes the power of positivity and encourages a ‘pay it forward’ attitude.

Every week seemed to offer incredible events that were each hosted with pride and organization. The ideas and generosity were inspiring as people gathered to take part in a fun (often tummy-filling!) activities which brought people together and had proceeds supporting a worthy cause. As a result of the dedication and generosity of Waterloo Regional Police Service members, an incredible $45,130.75 was raised in support of the United Way. This total surpassed the annual goal of $40,000 and far outreached the previous year’s total by more than $7,000!

RANDOM ACT OF KINDNESS

LAW ENFORCEMENT TOUCH RUN

AWARENESSMembers of the Waterloo Regional Police Service along with local special athletes participated in the 29th annual Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics. Runners, walkers and cyclists traveled several routes in Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge raising awareness and funds for Special Olympics carrying the “Flame of Hope” torch to Police Headquarters.

PROTECT YOUR PROPERTY DAY

FRAUD PREVENTION MONTH

DOOR-TO-DOOR SALES SAFETY TIPS

The Waterloo Regional Police Service supported the 2015 Crime Prevention Campaign by the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police (OACP) and its declaration of February 25th as “Protect Your Property Day”.“Protect Your Property Day” is part of the OACP’s annual crime prevention campaign, which focuses on a broad range of crimes that impact Ontario residents and businesses, including on-line fraud, identification theft and other cybercrimes, auto theft, break-and-enters, bullying, and elder abuse. A new crime booklet is now available to members of the public through the OACP and police services. The booklet contains helpful crime prevention tips and information and can be accessed by visiting www.wrps.on.ca.

Each year during March, Waterloo Regional Police in partnership with the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Ontario Provincial Police and municipal police services participate in Fraud Prevention Month. This annual initiative creates an opportunity to raise awareness about fraud trends and common scams occurring in our community, as well as identifying ways in which the public can work with police to reduce the likelihood of becoming a victim. A free document shredding event was held to help prevent identity fraud.

The Waterloo Regional Police Service supported the 2015 Crime Prevention Campaign by the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police (OACP) and its declaration of February 25th as “Protect Your Property Day”.Police presented the following safety tips to promote safe and informed door-to-door sales following a series of suspicious incidents.* Request proper identification from door-to-door sales people when considering a financial contribution* Ask questions about the organization being represented* Remember that you are not obligated to provide any personal information and use caution when considering providing documentation, answering questions, or signing paperwork* Protect yourself by doing research before buying anything at your door* A sales person does not have the right to enter your home without permission* If you don’t feel comfortable, don’t open your door and don’t be afraid to ask the person to leave

NATIONAL PRESCRIPTION DRUG DROP OFF DAYThe Waterloo Regional Police Service, in conjunction with community partners, urged residents to safely dispose of unused prescription medications by taking part in National Prescription Drug Drop Off Day.

Residents were encouraged to bring unused / expired prescription medications in their original containers to Waterloo Regional Police Service Headquarters. This was a great opportunity to safely and easily dispose of unused / expired prescription medications that are found at home. Safely disposing of unwanted or expired medications reduces illegal diversion and the risk of harm for citizens of all ages.

SEATBELT SAFETYThe annual Spring Seatbelt Campaign involved increased checks for seatbelt usage as well as reminders to motor vehicle drivers and passengers to buckle up. The Waterloo Regional Police Service conducted the campaign from April 10 to April 20 as part of a proactive initiative to raise public awareness and save lives.

PROJECT SAFE SEMESTERWaterloo Regional Police welcomed students of all ages back to school and wished them a safe academic year. Project Safe Semester ran from Thursday, September 3, until Saturday, September 26. It included a Door Knock campaign on September 15 in the neighbourhoods surrounding the Universities. This campaign was in collaboration with Wilfrid Laurier University and the University of Waterloo campus police, Conestoga College, City of Waterloo Bylaw and the Waterloo Fire Department.

DISTRACTED DRIVINGWaterloo Regional Police conducted a dedicated road safety campaign after officers in the area of Shantz Hill Road and Fountain Street in the City of Cambridge continually and constantly observed motorists texting and driving, or using their cellular devices while operating their motor vehicles. In nine hours, officers charged 52 people with distracted driving offences in addition to 17 other various provincial offences. Although cell phone laws have been in effect for years, with the recent legislative changes, drivers will receive a ticket for $490.00 and three demerit points if they use their electronic devices while operating a motor vehicleOPERATION IMPACTThe Waterloo Regional Police Service joined police services across Canada to participate in Operation Impact during the Thanksgiving long weekend. This annual nation-wide enforcement and education initiative focuses on saving lives by aggressively targeting drivers who engage in life threatening behaviours while driving their motor vehicles.

CRIME PREVENTION WEEKThe Waterloo Regional Police Service participated and recognized Crime Prevention Week (November 1-7). Police agencies throughout Ontario highlighted the work being done in our communities by promoting awareness and the importance of crime prevention. The 2015 theme was ‘Working Together to Improve Community Safety and Well-Being’.

HOLIDAY JINGLES PROMOTE ROAD SAFETYThe Waterloo Regional Police Service took a festive approach to spreading a message of safety over the holiday season releasing two holiday jingles – one about texting and driving and the other highlighting the decision to not drink and drive. Set to the tune of popular Christmas carols, the catchy tunes hoped to attract the audience’s attention in an entertaining way.

CORRESPONDENCEEvery year, police members have millions of interactions with members of the public. Some, as simple as saying hello and others - at the height of a traumatic event. Regardless of the circumstances, communication is at the center of what we do. As a police service, we value consistent and transparent correspondence and work to maintain the trust of the community we serve.

Throughout the year, the Waterloo Regional Police Service receives several letters, emails, tweets, and phone calls from citizens. It is our goal to ensure each one is handled through the appropriate measures and to ensure a satisfactory result. For the purposes of this report, those communiques have been compiled in to two categories. The full complaints report can be accessed by clicking below. A sample of thank-you letters from 2015, which have been vetted for privacy, can also be accessed below.

COMPLAINTSTHANK YOU LETTERS

IN APPENDICES

STATISTICSIn this section of the Annual Report we review statistics in the following areas: Police Use of Force, Road Safety, and Crime. For more information on how crime is measured in Canada, the summary below provides more information. Measuring Crime: The Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Survey, conducted by Statistics Canada since 1962, is based on nationally defined police-reported crime. Every police service across Canada is mandated to submit UCR data to Statistics Canada. Due to the length of investigations, follow-up, evidence processing, and the complexity of crime, police services are given until March 31st each year to submit their year-end UCR statistics. Statistics Canada then runs a variety of verification processes, and their tables and reports for the previous year’s crime statistics begin to be published near the end of July.

Statistics Canada’s crime and justice information includes police-reported crime rates, Crime Severity Index (CSI), violent and non-violent CSI, clearance and weighted clearance rates for provinces, census metropolitan areas and municipal police services across Canada. Check their main webpage www.statcan.gc.ca for the latest reports and data available in their CANSIM tables at www5.statcan.gc.ca/cansim/.

Crime has many consequences, not only for its victims and their relatives and friends, but also for society as a whole. All levels of government devote many resources to provide policing, court, correctional, and victim services. There are benefits to measuring crime. How we measure crime is complex and comes in many forms. A criminal incident may consist of one or more related offences that are committed during a single event and are reported to and substantiated by police. Violent criminal incidents are counted separately for each victim. Statistics may be reported based on when the crime occurred or when it was reported. Different counting methods will also lead to different end-results.

Statistics Canada counts the Most Serious Violation (MSV). The MSV methodology considers only the most serious offence in an incident. MSV count is used by Statistics Canada to allow for better comparison among police services across Canada and for historical comparison. Crime data is only representative of what is reported to police. There are many factors which may influence police-reported crime such as: our community’s willingness to report, available police resources, police service priorities, crime prevention measures, targeted enforcement practices, and increasingly other avenues of reporting crime that do not get relayed to the police.

CRIMEWhy Measure Crime? Crime has many consequences. Not only does it directly impact victims and their personal supports, but it also affects society as a whole. All levels of government devote many resources to provide policing, court, correctional, and victim services. Additionally, crime information is used by federal and provincial policy makers and researchers. For these reasons, crime counts, types, and trends deserve attention.

Measuring Crime in Canada: Every police service across Canada is mandated to submit Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) data to Statistics Canada, who, since 1962 has worked in co-operation with the policing community to define police-reported crime and its characteristics. This makes for a standardized comparison - a similar and consistent way of measuring the incidence of crime in Canadian society - when this national data is published in Statistics Canada’s annual UCR Survey.

However, crime is complex and comes in many forms. A criminal incident may consist of one or more related offences that are committed during a single event. If the criminal incident is violent in nature, the offences are counted once for each victim. Additionally, statistics may be reported based on when the crime occurred or when it was reported. To be consistent for comparison’s sake, Statistics Canada counts the Most Serious Violation (MSV). The MSV methodology considers only the most serious offence in an incident. WRPS counts all offences (All Count) in our own publications, because we want to reflect the complexity of crime in our region as we compare ourselves to ourselves over time.

It should be noted that crime data is only representative of what is reported to police and substantiated. There are many factors which may influence police-reported crime such as: our community’s willingness to report, available police resources, police service priorities, crime prevention measures, targeted enforcement practices, and increasingly, other avenues of reporting crime that do not get relayed to the police.

Availability of National Crime Statistics: Due to the length of investigations, follow-up, evidence processing, and the complexity of crime, police services are given until March 31st each year to submit their year-end UCR statistics. Statistics Canada then runs a variety of verification processes, and their tables and reports for the previous year’s crime statistics begin to be published near the end of July.

Statistics Canada’s crime and justice publications include both the volume and severity of police-reported crimes (Crime Severity Index), clearance rates, and more, broken out by province, census metropolitan area, and municipal police service. Visit www.statcan.gc.ca for the latest reports and data available in their CANSIM tables at www5.statcan.gc.ca/cansim/.

Crime Trends in Waterloo Region: 2015

The WRPS 2015 Criminal Offence Summary is based on an ‘All Count’ of UCR code violations which are reported to our Service within the year. The results will differ slightly from Statistics Canada’s ‘Most Serious Violation Count’ (MSV) of UCR code violations. Because UCR codes may be modified and/or cleared after the incident occurred and are updated accordingly, the WRPS Criminal Offence Summary re-states the previous years’ numbers to incorporate all the latest information. Click the button below to view the entire spreadsheet, and continue to read about some of the more frequent offences and noticeable trends.

Total Criminal Code Violations (excluding traffic) were up by 7.4%. Contributing to this trend were increases in Violent Crime (2.0 %), in Property Crime (7.5%), and in Other Criminal Code Offences (11.4%).

Violent Crime, or Crimes Against the Person, increased by 2.0% in Waterloo Region in 2015. Driving this increase were more Violations Causing Death, Assaults (3.0%), and Other Violations Involving Violence or the Threat of Violence (6.8%). Three offences of Murder 1st Degree contributed to increased percentage change of Violations Causing Death. Regarding assaults, Assaults Against Peace Officer with a Weapon or Cause Bodily Harm jumped 1300% from 1 to 14 counts, while Using Firearm/Imitation Firearm in Commission of Offense rose 53.3% from 15 to 25 counts. To a lesser extent, Assault with a Weapon rose 6.7%, reaching nearly 600 counts this past year, while Assault (Level 1) remains the most frequent offence (1894 counts). In terms of Other Violations, Arson – Disregard for Human Life had the highest percentage increase (100%, from 4 counts to 8), followed by Intimidation of a Non-Justice System Participant (up 33.3% to 4 counts) and Robbery (up 27.0% to 270 counts). Utter Threats and Criminal Harassment remain the most frequent with hundreds of police-reported incidences each.

Trending in the other direction, Attempted Murder noticeably declined (-57.1%), as did Violations Resulting in the Deprivation of Freedom (-10%).

Though Sexual Interference increased (7.2% to 97 counts), and Sexual Assault is still over 300 counts (-11.4%), Sexual Violations were down as a whole (-13.9%). Indeed, Sexual Assault with a Weapon, Incest, Corrupting Children and Making Sexually Explicit Material Available to Children were re-duced to zero.

Non-Violent Crime, or Crimes Against Property, rose 7.5% in Waterloo Region compared to 2014. Eleven different types of property crimes recorded increases, namely Motor Vehicle Theft (up 30.6%), Theft $5,000 or Under, which is also the most frequent property offence (up 5.0%), Theft $5,000 or Under from a Motor Vehicle, the second most frequent property offence (up 21.8%), Possession of Stolen Goods $5,000 and Under, the third most frequent (up 10.8%), Break and Enter (over 2200 counts, up 11.7%), Fraud (over 1800 counts, up 15.1%), and Identity Theft (up 16.8% to 140 counts). Seven other property crimes decreased, including the highly frequent offence of Mischief (-5.3% to just under 3000) and Shoplifting $5,000 or Under (-2.9% to just over 2000). Trafficking in Stolen Goods Over $5000 experienced the largest percentage decrease (-55.6% from a count of 9 to 4).

Investigators attribute the increase in Motor Vehicle Thefts, in part, to changes in internal management practices. Prior to May 1, 2015, motor vehicle thefts were received through the WRPS Differential Police Response (DPR) center where reports were taken over the phone. After May 1, these call types were responded to by a patrol officer. Unfortunately, due to the shortage of evidence to investigate, available resources and competing priorities, vehicle theft occurrences are not often assigned to detectives.

Investigators attribute Fraud’s 15.1% increase to organized crime groups targeting victims via a host of Internet and phone scams with the intent to harvest identities. Once the identities are stolen they are then used in a variety of fraud schemes, ranging from simple to complex. The Internet is being used as a vehicle to commit fraud by organized groups as it provides anonymity to the suspects who prey on victims from other geographic areas.

Other Criminal Code Violations, also considered non-violent, were 11.4% higher in 2015 than in 2014. The two most frequent violation types, Breach of Probation and Fail to Comply with Conditions, each with around two thousand counts, went up 13.9% and 7.6% respectively. Some other offences with hundreds of counts also rose, including Counterfeiting Currency (up 30% to 132 counts), Trespass at Night (up 24.3% to 169 counts) and Failure to Attend Court (up 35.1% to 608 counts). Some of the Other Criminal Code Violations that decreased include Indecent Acts (-19.3%), Obstruct Public Peace Officer (-14.8%), and Production/Distribution of Child Pornography (-13.6%) and Offences Against Public Order (Part II CC) (-18.2%).

Investigators attribute the increase in Counterfeiting Currency to organized crime groups who are taking advantage of the simple makeup of the American bill that allows it to be counterfeited. The same can be said about credit card fraud in the US as they have not evolved to chip technology with their credit cards allowing organized crime groups to harvest data here in Canada but use it in the US via credit card transactions. Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA) offences experienced a -6.8% decrease. While Production of Cannabis is up 12.5%, Possession, Trafficking, and Importation/Exportation in general are all down (-5.9%, -12.5%, -50.0 respectively), notwithstanding specific increases in Heroin Possession (45.7%), “Crystal Meth” Possession (42.3%) and Cocaine Possession (12.1%).

Other Federal Statute Violations, specifically Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA) offences, were down by 11.6% in Waterloo Region in 2015.

Criminal Code Traffic Violations experienced an overall increase (18.6%) in 2015, driven largely by Flight from Peace Officer (up 54.2%), Dangerous Operation (up 44%), and Other Criminal Code violations such as Failure to Stop or Remain (up 80.9%) and Driving While Prohibited (up 10.4%). Impaired Operation/Related Violations saw a decrease (-2.0%) which included decreases in Failure to Comply or Refusal (Alcohol) (-11.5%) and Operation of a Motor Vehicle, Vessel or Aircraft Over 80mg. (Drugs) (-33.3%). The count of Operation of a Motor Vehicle, Vessel or Aircraft Over 80 mg. (Alcohol) remains the same at just over 480 violations.

Investigators attribute the increase in Failure to Stop or Remain in part to improved coding methods by officers as well as having Traffic Branch officers investigate ‘hit-and-run’ collisions.

Moving forward, strategic enforcement, the encouragement of citizen reporting, and public education will continue.

USE OF FORCEIn 2015, there were a total of 280,140 calls for service which is a decrease of 5.2% from 2014. Of rele-vance to Use of Force reporting, in 2015, 12,245 arrests were made. This is an increase of 1.4% from 2014. In 2015, Waterloo Regional Police Service officers submitted 221 Use of Force reports. In 2015, WRPS canine units assisted in the arrest of 40 individuals, a decrease from 75 individuals in 2014. Only 4 of these incidents involved a canine apprehension, of which 1 required a Use of Force Report as a result of a minor injury to the arrested party.

The criteria for what necessitates the completion of a Use of Force Report are:

Except when engaged in a training exercise, target practice at an authorized range or ordinary weapon maintenance in accordance with Service procedures, members shall complete a Use of Force Report when:drawing a firearm in the presence of a member of the public, excluding a member of the Service;pointing a firearm at a person;discharging a firearm;using a weapon, including weapons of opportunity; anddeploying a CEW on another person: - as demonstrated force presence (i.e., overt display of the CEW with the intent to achieve compliance); and - in cartridge/probe mode, three point contact, and drive/push stun mode;a police canine has inflicted injury on another person; andusing physical force on another person that results in an injury requiring treatment by a qualified medical professional (e.g., a doctor or paramedic under certain circumstances). Where required, Training Branch supervisors shall be contacted for clarification on what constitutes an injury prior to the submission of a report. Firearm

Of the 221 Use of Force Reports submitted in 2015, there were 116 incidents involving a firearm compared to 129 incidents in 2014. The Special Response Unit (SRU) accounted for 32 incidents in which a Team Use of Force Report was completed. The remaining 84 incidents involved officers from either patrol, specialized branches or SRU officers not involved in a planned event. Of the 84 incidents, 102 officers drew their handgun, which is a 4% decrease from 2014 when 107 officers drew their handgun. Of the 102 officers who drew their handgun, 68 pointed their handgun at a subject compared to 78 officers in 2014, which is an 11% decrease.

In 2015, a carbine was deployed a total of 46 times compared to 80 in 2014, a decrease of 44%. Of those 46, it was pointed at a subject 33 times, compared to 39 in 2014. That includes 27 times by the Special Response Unit and 6 times by a patrol officer.

Oleoresin Capsicum (OC)

Oleoresin Capsicum spray (OC) was used 5 times in 2015 compared to 8 times in 2014. Use of Force reports indicates OC was effective in 3 of the incidents or 60% of the time, comparable to 62% effectiveness in 2014. Officers receive annual training that centers on identification of persons who may be resistant to the effects of OC, proper targeting and appropriate communication prior to and after OC is deployed.

Conducted Energy Weapon (CEW)

The Conducted Energy Weapon (CEW) is carried by front-line supervisors, Traffic Sergeants, members of the Emergency Response Unit, and Sergeants from Plainclothes Units. In 2015, CEW’s were discharged 27 times compared to 26 in 2014. In addition to incidents where the CEW was discharged, it was tactically displayed or shown to individuals on 55 occasions in an effort to gain compliance compared to 43 occasions in 2014, an increase of 28%.

The CEW continues to be an effective tool for officers as it affords the opportunity to gain compliance without having to resort to physical contact or other use of force options which can put the subject, officer(s) or public at greater risk of injury. There were two reported minor injuries from the deployment of the CEW in 2015. CEW-assigned officers receive refresher training and are certified annually.

Impact Weapon

The use of impact weapons (primarily the baton but may include the Arwen gun) increased to 6 incidents in 2015, compared to 5 incidents in 2014.

Physical Control

Physical control soft techniques involve joint manipulations such as wrist locks, arm bars without striking techniques, pressure point control, and escort positions. The number of incidents involving soft physical control in 2015 was 38 compared to 35 in 2014, which is an increase of 8.5%.

Physical control hard techniques include empty hand strikes and kicks. The number of incidents involving hard physical control techniques in 2015 was 12 compared to 14 incidents in 2014, which is a decrease of 14%.

In the vast majority of the reported incidents, physical control was reported because another use of force option was utilized, which necessitated reporting. For example, an officer may use the firearm option first (thus necessitating the report) followed by a physical control soft technique to handcuff a subject. Both the use of the firearm and the physical control technique are recorded.

Of significance, officers use physical control techniques to affect thousands of arrests each year and Use of Force reports are not required because the mandatory procedural reporting criterion is not met.

Injuries

A minor injury is one that requires treatment by a qualified medical professional (e.g., doctor). In 2015, 11 minor injuries to subjects were reported as the result of officers applying use of force techniques compared to 18 in 2014.

A serious injury refers to injuries that require hospitalization. There was one incident of an injury to a subject that was serious in nature whereby the subject was shot by an officer. There was one incident that resulted in the fatal shooting of a subject by an officer.

Five officers reported minor injuries as a result of an incident that resulted in the fatal shooting of a subject by an officer.

Five officers reported minor injuries as a result of an incident involving use of force compared to four officers injured in 2014. In two incidents, officers suffered hand injuries resulting from physical control techniques. In one incident, an officer was treated for lacerations from a broken window. In another incident, an officer was seen by medical staff for an elevated heart rate. In the last incident, an officer was treated for a stab wound.

ROAD SAFETYThe Waterloo Regional Police Service monitors, enforces, and investigates road safety issues throughout Waterloo Region and works to improve road safety on an ongoing basis for our community.

The Traffic Branch conducts special projects, awareness campaigns, education and enforcement and are responsible for the investigation of all fatal, serious bodily injury collisions and follow-up investigation of fail to remain collisions. Road safety is a shared responsibility - and one which the Waterloo Regional Police Services takes very seriously.

The following page is a summary of road safety statistics for 2015.

SERVICEIn this section of the Annual Report, we present the various methods in which calls for service are generated, the 2015 annual budget, and the total occurrences for Waterloo Region throughout 2015.

Every year, hundred of thousands of calls are answered in our Communications Centre and responded to by officers. The details of every call are distinct and unique, but each one is to be handled with professionalism and respect. The neighbourhoods of Waterloo Region are rich with di-versity and the demand on service is always evolving. Our response to calls for service is also changing as we have seen Online Reporting gaining popularity in 2015.

COSTSBudget : 2015

OCCURRENCESComputer Aided Dispatch (CAD) Occurrences

The creation of any new occurrence number in CAD is considered a “CAD event” regardless of the source. CAD events may be generated from calls coming into the Communications Centre from a non-emergency line, from a 9-1-1 phone line, initiated by an officer or dispatcher, or generated from our on-line reporting system. A call may be cancelled, duplicated from multiple people reporting the same incident, taken over the phone by our resource desk, of a nature requiring a police report to be prepared or concluded with no report being necessary.

Although ordered slightly differently, the same CAD occurrence types compose the most frequent occurrence types generated each year. A large proportion of the most frequent occurrence types are not criminal in nature but rather involve community safety and maintenance of public order that is a significant part of the demand on policing services. Other frequent occurrence types are generated to track workload on our services, for example the 9-1-1 calls made in error.

CITIZEN CALLSCitizen Generated Calls For Police Service

Citizen generated calls for service are CAD events initiated by a member of our community to which Waterloo Regional Police Service (WRPS) dispatches an officer(s) to respond. The rate of citizen generated calls is an independent measure of patrol’s workload driven by our community. A citizen generated call is identified from our CAD occurrences as those matching specific criteria such as: (1) the source is not “officer”, (2) the dispatch priority is 1, 2, 3 or 4, (3) the event is not cancelled, and (4) the dispatch date and time is not null.

Although ordered slightly differently, most of the same call types remain in the top ten most frequent citizen generated calls each year. A large proportion of the most frequent citizen calls are not necessarily criminal in nature but rather involve community safety and maintenance of public order that is a significant part of the demand on policing services.

ONLINE REPORTINGWhy Report Online? Online Reporting provides a convenient way to report incidents of crime to Waterloo Regional Police Service. This service has been available since October 2012 and includes non-emergency circumstances such as Damage to Vehicles (excluding Collisions and under $5000), Thefts (Under $5000), Lost Property (Under $5000), Mischief/Damage to Property (Under $5000) and Thefts from Vehicle (Under $5000). When incidents are reported to police it provides an opportunity for WRPS to analyze the gathered information and gain a better understanding of where crime is occurring. This service is gaining an increase of use due to the convenience of accessing it 24 hours a day, the ability to use it from anywhere with internet accessed and a response comes directly to the users’ email account.

What are the Online Reporting Trends? As shown in the chart below, the number of occurrences reported online has been increasing each year; the number of reports made in 2015 increased 33% over 2014 for a total of nearly 2000 occurrences. Consistent with previous years, Property Thefts Under $5000 accounted for the largest proportion of online reports at 73%. Property Thefts also saw the greatest increase; online reports of this type of occurrence increased by 45% from 2014.

How Does Online Reporting Work? When a user submits an online report they are immediately provided a temporary occurrence number. The report is then submitted to a Constable and upon sat-isfied review, the user is provided a copy of the completed report in their email inbox which they can keep in their files or provide to other requesting agencies.

How Do I Report Online? To use this Service or to find out more, please go to www.wrps.on.ca and click on the yellow Online Reporting button.

WATERLOO REGIONAL POLICE SERVICE200 Maple Grove RoadCambridge, ON N3H 5M1

KITCHENER/WATERLOO/CAMBRIDGE+1 519 653 7700

OTHER AREAS:519 570 3000

AUTOMATED ATTENDANT519 650 8500

For current information, employment opportunities and updates visit our website at www.wrps.on.ca.

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