MEDICINE HAT POLICE SERVICE

2015-2018 / STRATEGIC BUSINESS PLAN

Serving and protecting our community with pride through professional and progressive policing.

FORWARD

This strategic business plan outlines the future direction for the Medicine Hat Police Service (MHPS) over the next four years. It sets out our objectives and gives clarity to the long-term goals of the Service and how we will achieve them. The plan outlines the complex and diverse challenges we face and also identifies emerging trends. The plan also informs the community about the services we will provide and the standards they can expect. The strategies in our plan will focus on four main priorities: enhancing community safety, officer safety, community relationships and police effectiveness and efficiencies.

As with any strategic business plan, it is designed to be a living document that is subject to change and adjustment. This flexibility will allow us to effectively respond to new emerging trends in the ever-changing landscape of policing.

This strategic business plan is aligned to the strategic plan of City Council. Further, there is an interrelationship between the MHPS Business Plan, the MHPS Traffic Safety Plan and the MHPS

Patrol Section priorities. These documents not only demonstrate the congruence between the strategies of the police service and that of the City, but they also demonstrate the interrelationship between the operationalization of resources when moving towards the four main priorities of the police service.

The benefit of having these plans aligned is that it will add specificity to the work engagements that the police service will conduct in order to achieve the identified strategic priorities. The progress

and key results that the Service achieves in the operationalizing of these plans will be reported to the Police Commission on a monthly basis.

Andy McGrogan

Chief of Police

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MESSAGE FROM THE POLICE COMMISSION

A great strategic plan, like the one presented in the following pages, works to effectively build a cohesive leadership team by establishing real clarity among its leaders. By communicating that clarity to everyone within the organization and putting in place just enough structure to reinforce that clarity going forward, the advantages of a solid strategic plan are obviously very significant.

In addition, we believe that this strategic plan incorporates the three main pillars of civilian oversight: the police service, government (municipal and provincial) and community interests. The Medicine Hat Police Commission understands the importance of transparency, accountability, accessibility, responsiveness and sustained resources within the operation of the Medicine Hat Police Service. We also recognize the need to facilitate communication between the police and the community, and to try to find an appropriate balance between diverse and sometimes competing community interests, as we endeavour to fulfill our mandate to balance the requirements of accountability with those of police independence.

Finally, it is important to note that from the perspective of the Medicine Hat Police Commission, ensuring a safe and secure community is one of our top priorities. This strategic plan aims to balance four pillars - community safety, community engagement, human resources and technology, and officer safety - all while delivering services to Medicine Hat in a fiscally responsible manner.

Mr. Rolf TraichelPolice Commission Chair

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FROM L TO RMr. Greg Keen, Councillor Julie Friesen, Chair Rolf Traichel,

and Councillor Robert Dumanowski

MISSING:Vice Chair Rod Forsyth

TABLE OF CONTENTSForward 2

Message from the Police Commission 3

Mission / Vision Values 4

Background 5

Organizational Chart 6

Forward Looking Approach 7

Key Trends 8

Emerging Issues 12

Strategic Business Plan Development 15

Strategic Policing Priorities 18

Priority #1 Community Safety 19

Priority #2 Community Engagement 22

Priority #3 Human Resources & Technology 24

Priority #4 Officer Safety 26

2015-2018 Budget Impacts 29

OUR MISSION Serving and protecting our community with pride through professional and progressive policing;

OUR VISION To optimize the safety and security of our community;

OUR VALUES We achieve our mission and vision through commitment to and demonstration of our organizational core values:

IntegrityRespectAccountabilityCourage

These core values serve as an anchor for the MHPS and represent a clear articulation of our continuing commitment to professionalism and the highest standards all of our employees use as they serve their community with pride.

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ABOUT THE MEDICINE HAT POLICE SERVICEThe City of Medicine Hat is a thriving and diversified city with a resident population of approximately 61,000 and serves a regional trade area of approximately 175,000 people who regularly visit, shop and use services in our community. The City’s geography covers over 120 square kilometres of land and encompasses more than 500 kilometres of roadway.

The MHPS has proudly served this community since 1899. Since those humble beginnings in the pioneering days of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) moving west, the MHPS has evolved into a highly trained and technically equipped service. The MHPS is an innovative, energetic and professional police service with an authorized strength of 114 sworn members. These members are complimented by 33 civilian staff, 9 Community Peace Officers, 46 Victim Services volunteers and 9 Auxiliary Police volunteers.

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CHIEFADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES MANAGER

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANTS

CHAPLAIN LEGAL SERVICES

CISM

OPERATIONAL SERVICES DIVISION

K9

Prisoner Security

Alcohol

HVRT

AHS/Mental Health Liaison

Priority Street Crimes Unit

Community Safety Unit

Auxiliary

Safe Families Intervention TeamSpecialized Traffic Enforcement

Collision Reporting Centre

Parking Monitors

SUPPORT SERVICES DIVISION ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES DIVISION

Patrol Teams Organized Crime Section Community Safety Section

Major Crimes Section

Family Crime Unit

Exhibit/Property Control

Forensic Identification Unit

EDU/Negotiators/TECH

TACT

Victim Assistance UnitCeremonial Team

Fleet Management

Professional Standards Unit

Training Unit

Control Tactics/Firearms/EVOC

Information Coordinator

Occupational Health

Information Technology Section Administrative Services Section

Facility

Quarter Master/Stores

Information Processing Section

Court Unit

Detention Facility

Traffic Unit

Municipal Bylaw Section

CHIEF

ORGANIZATIONAL CHART

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FORWARD-LOOKING APPROACHIn the face of challenging economic times, community policing has taught us that building relationships is very important when solving complex problems. Collaborative partnerships, problem-solving approaches and organizational transformation will help us build and sustain our community trust.

The past efforts of the MHPS have led to high public confidence in the police service’s ability to investigate crimes. Results from the 2014 community survey indicated that 76% of respondents were confident in our abilities as a police service. Overall, crime rates in the city have been declining. Several proactive initiatives, such as offender accountability by the Priority Street Crimes Unit (PSCU), have contributed to less recidivism amongst our chronic offenders and these lower numbers.

However, we recognize that lower crime rates and our ability to investigate and solve crimes are only part of the role of policing in our community. Crime prevention initiatives are equally important. We will continue to allocate resources to this essential component of policing and in order to maintain the downward pressure on crime rates and to enhance the safety and security of our community.

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KEY TRENDS

8

600

550

500

450

400

02010 2011 2012 2013

558

509

540

477

PROPERTY RELATED OFFENCES

TOTAL VIOLENT CRIME

OFFENDER ACCOUNTABILITY CHARGES

CRIME RATESCrime rates across the country have decreased and we are pleased to report that the City of Medicine Hat is no different. Although some calls for service have increased, the Police Service identified a 2.7% overall decrease in year-over-year calls for service when comparing 2013 to 2012. When measured against the five-year average, calls for service are down 8.3%. This overall decrease in calls for service is due in part to the targeted enforcement efforts specific to offender accountability by the PSCU.

In 2013, the number of offenders charged from PSCU investigations increased by 419%, and non-compliance charges of people subject to judicial interim releases were up by 482% in comparison to 2012. This trending is a continuation from increases that were also experienced in 2011 and indicate that these proactive efforts by the PSCU have reduced the recidivism rate and have had a positive effect on the overall crime rate in this community. Through offender accountability and criminal files concluded in 2013, the PSCU has laid 1,420 charges. This winning formula of targeted proactive enforcement is planned to continue.

While there are a number of factors that can contribute to decreasing crime rates, the PSCU and other MHPS proactive initiatives have played important roles in maintaining downward pressure on crime rates in our community.

KEY TRENDS9

550

500

450

400

350

300

250

200

150

100

02011 2012 2013

Accused Charged

Charges

119

450

139

448

168

522

900

800

700

600

500

400

300

200

100

02011 2012 2013

Accused Charged

Charges

64 76 101 13

9

424

898

PRIORITY STREET CRIMES

TOTAL CALLS FOR SERVICE

34,818

31,953

31,094

2010 2011 2012 2013

34,421

36,000

35,000

34,000

33,000

32,000

31,000

30,000

29,000

OVERALL CRIME SEVERITY INDEX COMPARISONThe Crime Severity Index is calculated using Incident based Uniform Crime Reporting Survey (UCR2) data and tracks changes in the severity of police reported crime from year to year. It does this by taking into account not only the change in volume of a particular crime, but also the relative seriousness of that crime in comparison to other crimes.

The Crime Severity Index helps police answer such questions as “Is the crime that the police service is dealing with more or less serious than before?” As demonstrated in the accompanying chart, Medicine Hat is a relatively safe community in comparison to other Alberta cities of similar populations.

Source: Statistics Canada. Table 252-0088 - Crime severity index andweighted clearance rates, by police service, Alberta, annual

(index unless otherwise noted), CANSIM (database).

Medicine Hat

Lethbridge

Red Deer

Wood Buffalo

Grand Prairie

180

160

140

120

100

80

60

40

20

02010

77.3

696

.97

2011 2012 2013

140.

8213

2.13

129.

53

81.3

885

.81

153.

4812

0.34 13

7.99

74.9

390

.18

162.

5911

3.06

145.

15

65.3 77

.02

156.

79

148.

6710

0.6

SOLVING CRIMETwo areas we are particularly proud of is our ability as a police service to deter crime and to successfully solve it. As demonstrated in the accompanying chart, the MHPS has a great track record of having the highest crime solvability rate when compared to other Alberta cities of similar size.

The weighted clearance rate is based on the same principles as the Police Reported Crime Severity Index (PRCSI), whereby more serious offences are assigned a higher “weight” than less serious offences. For example, the clearing of homicides, robberies or break and enters would represent a greater contribution to the overall weighted clearance rate value than the clearing of minor theft, mischief or disturbing the peace. Source: Statistics Canada. Table 252-0088 - Crime severity index and weighted

clearance rates, by police service, Alberta, annual (index unless otherwise noted), CANSIM (database).

Medicine Hat

Lethbridge

Red Deer

Wood Buffalo

Grand Prairie

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

02010

53.5

956

.14

2011 2012 201334

.14

42.9

2 49.2

9

55.8

56.0

633

.22

50.5

446

.46

60.5

357

.92

26.2

146

.58

41.3

9

62.3

759

.57

26.8

1

34.5

642

.65

KEY TRENDS

CRIME SEVERITY INDEX

WEIGHTED CLEARANCE RATE

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KEY TRENDS

COMPLEXITY OF INVESTIGATIONSInvestigating crime, in general, has become increasingly more complex, time consuming and human resource intensive. Advancements in technology have vastly increased the opportunity for crimes to take place, and cybercrimes are becoming increasingly sophisticated and diverse. The growth of cybercrimes illustrates the scale of the challenge that we face now and in the years to come.

Continual changes in Canadian criminal case law are also impacting the levels of complexity involved in investigating crime. Traditional policing approaches need to evolve and adapt as case law routinely changes the established speed and flow of an investigation into new, more complex and numerous investigational processes.

POLICE OFFICER TO POPULATION RATIOThe MHPS is always looking for ways to increase its effectiveness and efficiencies, especially when it pertains to the deployment of police officers. The number of police officers funded by the City of Medicine Hat has remained unchanged since 2008. All new positions added since then have been supported by funding provided through Provincial grants or the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams (ALERT) contributions towards a regional response to organized crime and internet child exploitation. Recent reductions in provincial funding provided through the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission and Alberta Integrated Threat and Risk Assessment have resulted in our authorized strength being reduced from 116 to 114 officers. The national police officer to population ratio average in 2013 was 197 officers per 100,000 population. The Alberta provincial average was 171.4 officers per 100,000 population. Presently, the MHPS has a ratio of 176.7 officers per 100,000 population. However, it is important to recognize that included in our authorized strength of 114 there are seven MHPS officers who have regional responsibilities through the ALERT mandate.

ADJUSTMENT IN NATIONAL POLICING SERVICESNational police services administered through the RCMP have made significant retractions or limitations to the services that they have traditionally provided. Several of these adjustments have already impacted our processes and surrounding costs and have further implications in relation to areas like Forensic Laboratory Services, the National DNA Data Bank and Canadian Criminal Real Time Identification Services.

INCREASED PUBLIC EXPECTATIONS AND ACCOUNTABILITYOur community has justifiably high expectations of the MHPS in the areas of transparency and accountability. We continue to be committed to meeting these expectations to enhance public confidence.

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EMERGING ISSUES

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ECONOMIC As previously mentioned, the MHPS has already experienced impacts from the retraction of funding relating to the Government of Alberta’s initiated programs, such as Alberta Gaming and Liquor and Integrated Threat and Risk Assessment. Any changes to future provincial funding as it relates to the Officer Grant Program ($400K), Municipal Policing Assistance Grant ($978K) and ALERT ($1,255K) would obviously have a significant impact. This lack of stability and the possibility of potential retraction of funding make predictions on the future costs of policing in Medicine Hat somewhat precarious.

Over the last three years, fine revenue generated from officer initiated enforcement, photo radar enforcement and other fine sources have declined and are continuing to trend downwards. The Medicine Hat Police Commission recently committed to undertaking an independent review of the automated traffic enforcement program. The outcome of this review is unknown at this time, but potential changes to the existing program could have a significant impact on the MHPS.

EQUIPMENT & TECHNOLOGY As advancements in technology are made, there are expectations from the community for the MHPS to adopt new technology into our processes. Some equipment will allow us to be more transparent and accountable, such as body-worn cameras and in-car video. Other equipment and software like online reporting, online payment, e-ticketing and renewal of animal licenses will allow us to provide improved services. Equipment for forensic electronic crime investigation is required to remain current with cybercrime trends.

At the time of preparing this report, the MHPS is engaged in a study of body-worn cameras and in-car video systems and their related impacts to our service. It is anticipated that implementation of many of these technological advancements will have high upfront costs, and significant ongoing operational costs, but could potentially result in efficiencies in areas such as early case resolution, reduced complaints against police, officer accountability and easier access to services for the community.

SOCIAL COMMUNITY ISSUESAlthough total calls have declined in recent years, the MHPS has identified a number of emerging social issues that have resulted in increased calls for service. Calls relating to mental health, addictions and domestic violence in particular are on the rise, and the MHPS remains committed to collaborating with community stakeholders to look at ways to proactively respond to these complex social issues.

EMERGING ISSUES13

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STRATEGICBUSINESS PLANDEVELOPMENTThe development of the MHPS Strategic Plan began in the fall of 2013 and involved consultation with the Police Commission, community members and MHPS staff. The process involved collaboration with numerous stakeholders and partners, and an important aspect of our planning was to align, where possible, with the City’s corporate strategic plan to demonstrate cohesion and common goals.

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STRATEGIC BUSINESS PLAN DEVELOPMENT

The building of this plan included input from the following sources:

1. ENVIRONMENTAL SCANA police environmental scan was conducted to identify national and provincial crime trends, economic influences and other factors. As previously illustrated, both crime trends and government resources in the form of grants and expenditures are generally trending downwards.

2. 2014 POLICING AND COMMUNITY SAFETY SURVEYReceiving feedback through the community survey is essential in identifying community perceptions on issues relating to policing and community safety. These perceptions assist us in guiding our activities and strategic objectives. A key finding from the survey is that Medicine Hat residents feel significantly more safe living in Medicine Hat than they have in the past. The percentage of respondents who ‘Agreed’ or ‘Strongly Agreed’ with the statement, “I feel safe living in Medicine Hat,” increased from 72% to 79%. The percentage of respondents who ‘Agreed’ or ‘Strongly Agreed’ with the statement, “I am afraid to go into one or more areas of Medicine Hat,” decreased from 21% to 13%.

Other results included:• General satisfaction with the MHPS has remained relatively constant since 2011;• More people are visiting the MHPS website, and they are visiting more frequently

than in 2011;• Social media is becoming an increasingly important tool for people to stay engaged

with the activities of the MHPS;• Satisfaction with the MHPS’s road safety efforts has decreased from 65% in 2011 to

53% in 2014, which is primarily due to dissatisfaction with the use of photo radar;• Satisfaction with the MHPS’s Bylaw Enforcement has decreased from 55% in 2011

to 45% in 2014. The biggest reason respondents indicated they were less than satisfied with Bylaw Enforcement was the perceived lack of proactive enforcement;

• Satisfaction with the MHPS’s ability to investigate crime remained high with 76%. Confidence with the MHPS’s ability to investigate crime is highly correlated with general satisfaction, which suggests that respondents feel they get the most value from the MHPS when it investigates crime

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3. 2013 MHPS EMPLOYEE SURVEYHighlights from the internal employee survey indicated that employee morale and job satisfaction were higher than the national average. Areas that were important to our employees included maintaining a respectful workplace, which we have been able to achieve and continually strive to improve. Literature research shows that well performing workplaces with high morale and job satisfaction like the MHPS generally also provide outstanding service to the public and to internal teams in the service. From this survey, it is clear that we have a healthy organization with caring, professional, dedicated and skilled employees who love to serve the community in which they live. However, we also recognize that we cannot be complacent, and there is still room for improvement in our internal communications, and to this end, we are committed to strive towards improvement.

4. EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATIONSCommunity stakeholders who were consulted included school boards, Crown Prosecutors, Community Corrections and Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams. From these consultations, we heard that the school resource officer program is effective and valued by the educational community, the process of electronic disclosure has added great value and efficiency for both the Crown and court system, offender accountability initiatives are enhanced through effective collaboration with probation and the regional efforts to combat organized crime and child exploitation are effective and essential to community safety.

5. MHPS SUPERVISOR CONSULTATIONSInput was received from supervisors who helped define and develop the priorities and activities which were divided into an internal and external focus. These strategic policing priorities will guide the MHPS as we continue to deal with our challenges and will assist us in providing the citizens of Medicine Hat the highest quality of policing.

From this planning process four key priorities were identified: Community Safety, Community Engagement, Human Resources and Officer Safety. This strategic business plan provides the framework that will be used to guide our operational and community policing decisions as we set to achieve these priorities over the next four years.

STRATEGIC BUSINESS PLAN DEVELOPMENT17

STRATEGICPOLICINGPRIORITIESThe establishment of strategic policing priorities is essential for the health of the organization. Success in achieving these priorities can only be determined through effective measurement. For each of the four priorities outlined by this strategic business plan, there are numerous initiatives and key activities identified which will be undertaken to ensure that the predicted outcomes are met. Any additional funding required to complete these activities is noted along with the year the funds will be budgeted. It is important to note that the items identified for purchase in 2017 and 2018 are subject to approval.

The completed actions and activities will provide a snapshot of the progress being obtained in achieving the priorities and will be reported to the Police Commission on a monthly basis and in turn, to the City Council members and the community at large.

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PRIORITY #1 COMMUNITY SAFETY INITIATIVESFAMILY VIOLENCE INTERVENTION Domestic violence takes a heavy toll on the entire family and on the very fabric of society. As such, the MHPS must continue to work closely with our community partners to ensure that victims of domestic violence and their children get the help and support they need to repair or leave abusive relationships and rebuild their lives.

Several operational units within the MHPS work seamlessly together to address the issue of family violence. These include our Patrol members, Family Crime Unit and Victim Assistance Unit. Moving forward, we will enhance our efforts with the addition of the Safe Families Intervention Team (SFIT).

Through the SFIT model, the MHPS has engaged in a newly formed pilot project in partnership with the Medicine Hat Woman’s Shelter Society (MHWSS) to focus on a holistic approach to creating a safe family environment free of domestic violence. SFIT will be comprised of a police officer and two intake workers from the MHWSS, and their purpose will be to intervene with families identified to be at risk of domestic violence that come to the attention of police. The intervention workers will ensure that these families receive the necessary community support to mitigate any future family violence.

MENTAL HEALTH DIVERSIONWe have identified a trend of increased calls for service, an average of 700 calls per year, relating to persons in crisis and suffering from mental illnesses. We have been working with community partners on ways to divert these individuals away from the criminal justice system to the appropriate social services. This concept of mental health diversion aligns with the review and recommendations outlined in Honourable F. Iacobucci’s report, Police Encounters with People in Crisis, which was released in July of 2014 and speaks to police more adequately serving people in crisis. The goal of the diversion process is to secure appropriate mental health services without invoking the usual criminal justice controls of incarceration and fines. The focus is on helping individuals access appropriate community support and treatment.

As the initial call often starts with the patrol response, first responders must receive adequate training in order to identify these persons in crisis. Once identified, the individuals in crisis will be referred to the SFIT Sergeant, who as part of his duties will act as the police mental health liaison officer.

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ROAD SAFETYOur approach to road safety is an integrated effort involving Patrols, Bylaw, Traffic and the Specialized Traffic Enforcement Unit. Delivering targeted prevention initiatives and conducting enforcement activities remain key components in preventing injuries and property damage on our roadways. This continued balanced approach utilizing high visibility enforcement and public education will focus on speeding, impaired driving, distracted driving, intersection safety and pedestrian safety.

Intersection safety remains a concern, and as such, we will be exploring different educational and enforcement options, including the deployment of automated photo radar technology—speed on green/red light cameras at high collision intersections. Although actual costs are yet to be determined, the estimated costs of the equipment have been tentatively budgeted for starting in 2017.With recent drug recognition legislation, the service is mindful of the need to acquire roadside screening devices to measure impairment by drugs. Because this technology is in the early stages of research, the related processes and costs associated with this initiative are unknown at this time.

The MHPS Traffic Safety Plan aligns with the Provincial Traffic Safety Plan and initiatives. We will continue to partner with our Provincial Traffic Safety Specialists who include the Alberta Sheriffs, Alberta Motor Association, RCMP, Provincial Boards and the Alberta Association of Chiefs of Police.

INCIDENT MANAGEMENT & EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESSDue to our relative geographical isolation, the MHPS requires readily available equipment and trained personnel to respond to critical incidents that threaten the safety of our community. One of the major safety equipment requests is for an Armored Rescue Vehicle (ARV). Each year there are a number of high risk incidents where the deployment of an ARV would have greatly increased safety to the public and police.

Training and equipment are required to maintain specialty units, such as Crisis negotiators, Tactical Arrest Control Team (TACT), Explosives Disposal Unit (EDU), Major Crimes Section, Forensic Identification Unit (FIU), Traffic Reconstruction and Canine.

The MHPS continues to be committed to providing trained senior personnel to aid in the operation of the City’s Emergency Preparedness Planning. We have engaged in significant training for our senior staff in the Incident Command System model (ICS), so that we may enhance our ability to assist and support in the Emergency Operations Centre when it is activated. Over the next four years we will undertake initiatives to continue with training and partnering with other City services to ensure effective emergency management operations and communications during a disaster and in a post-disaster environment.

PROACTIVE DIRECTED PATROLSThe City of Medicine Hat has identified safety as an important priority. Although our community has told us that residents generally feel safe in Medicine Hat, we recognize that from time to time certain areas experience issues that impact perceptions of safety.

STRATEGIC POLICING PRIORITIES20

STRATEGIC POLICING PRIORITIES

The MHPS understands the importance of citizens’ desires to feel safe as they live, work and play in the community. We also recognize that this does not happen by itself. The need to strategically direct patrol activities through the use of the High Visibility Response Team (HVRT), uniformed foot patrols, Bylaw enforcement and our Patrol officers remains a service commitment. The MHPS has formed an enhanced partnership with the Alberta Corrections Probation branch whereby a probation officer will be embedded within the Service. This arrangement will facilitate more proactive and directed enforcement activities intended to improve offender accountability.

INTEGRATED APPROACH TO ORGANIZED CRIMEOur approach to effectively and efficiently deal with sophisticated and organized criminals is found in our regional approach and in our partnership with the RCMP and the Government of Alberta. The impact of serious and organized crime in Southeast Alberta affects the daily lives of members of this community. In partnership with ALERT, using an integrated approach, the MHPS Organized Crime Section, made up of the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit (CFSEU), the Medicine Hat Integrated Intelligence Unit (MHIIU) and Internet Child Exploitation (ICE), will focus its activities on reducing the threat and impact of the harm caused by criminals, particularly in the areas of child pornography and drug trafficking.

COMMUNITY SAFETY

INITIATIVES

Family Violence Intervention

Mental Health Diversion

Road Safety

Incident Management and Emergency Response

Proactive Directed Patrols

Integrated Approach to Organized Crime

Body-Worn Cameras and In-Car Video

KEY ACTIVITIES

• SFIT

• Training• SFIT

• Education• Automated Traffic Enforcement• High visibility enforcement

• Training• Equipment

• High visibility patrol presence • Education and enforcement• Embedded Probation Officer

• Intelligence led investigations • Target online predators

• Needs assessment

PREDICTED OUTCOMES

• Reduction in family violence recidivism through early intervention

• Reduction in repeat calls• Improved effectiveness of response• Greater access to social agencies

• Reduction in personal injuries and property damage• Promote safer vehicles by conducting ongoing vehicle and equipment

inspections • Reduction in distracted driving• Reduction in impaired driving• Enhanced intersection and pedestrian safety

• Enhanced emergency preparedness • Improved community safety through the safe resolution of major incidents

• Improved license premise safety• Increased park and trail safety• Enhanced community safety• Increased offender accountability and reduced victimization

• Disruption of organized crime groups• Decreased victimization of vulnerable populations

• Increased accountability, transparency and safety

NEW BUDGET IMPACT

2015: $4K for personnel redeployment

Personnel redeployment

2018: $200K for specialized enforcement technology

2015: $275K for armored rescue vehicle

2017: $60K2018: $140K

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PRIORITY #2 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENTAs Sir Robert Peel, considered to be the father of modern day policing, stated, “The police are the public and the public are the police.” This concept has developed over the years from a passive stance to a more active requirement for police to deliberately engage and collaborate with their community. Throughout the execution of this strategic business plan, the MHPS will continue to engage the community in a number of different ways to ensure that our activities are continually aligned with community expectations.

INITIATIVESPOLICE GOVERNANCEThe Medicine Hat Police Commission is the primary link between the citizens of our community and the police. The Police Commission’s job, in part, is to balance the requirements of public accountability with the need for police independence, and to act as an independent interface between MHPS and our elected officials. The MHPS actively engages the Police Commission on organizational strategies that promote a strong partnership between the community and its police. Through regular engagement, the MHPS and the Police Commission will promote a strong and lasting partnership with the community on matters of community policing.

COMMUNITY COLLABORATION The MHPS recognizes and encourages its members to become actively involved as committee members in organizations throughout the city. By being members of these various community committees, boards and groups, it is intended to make us more responsive and aware to specific citizens’ needs. Presently, we have members on the boards of the MHWSS, CORE Association, United Way and Medicine Hat Community Housing Society to name a few. The MHPS will continue our community engagement in this way as we have found over the years that we can add value and sometimes a unique perspective to these committees in the sharing of our ideas and experiences. Our involvement provides an opportunity for MHPS to better understand, serve and build stronger relationships with our community. The MHPS also recognizes and encourages its members to continue to be actively involved in leadership roles in a variety of community groups and organizations that make our community a great place to live.

POLICE COMMUNICATIONSAs policing is dynamic by nature, it is important for the MHPS to continually communicate with the community about our activities and on issues of community safety. Currently, this is done with the assistance and cooperation of our local media as well as through the use of our website and social media presence. Over the next four years, the MHPS will continue to explore new and effective ways of communicating in an effort to strive for improvement in this area. This strategic plan is in part, based on input received from the community in the 2014 Policing and Community Safety Survey, and we will re-engage the community in 2018 with a similar survey to gauge future community safety needs.

STRATEGIC POLICING PRIORITIES22

VOLUNTEERSThe MHPS has over 50 volunteers whose activities, either as Victim Assistance advisors or as Auxiliary Constables, compliment the services we provide to the community. These volunteer members contribute thousands of hours of personal time and demonstrate commitment and energy to serving the citizens of Medicine Hat. They are an integral part of our service, and we will continue to examine new ways to utilize volunteers to enhance the safety of our community. As such, over the next several years the Service will attempt to explore new ways to increase volunteerism throughout the service. The first step will be to engage a volunteer to assist us in supporting this effort.

SCHOOLSEngaging youth, parents, school administrators and teachers is an integral part of MHPS community policing operations that promote safe school environments. Through our Community Liaison officers (CLO) and School Resource officers (SRO), we partner with the local school districts and the Medicine Hat College to provide youth educational services, such as our Encouraging Positive Informed Choices (EPIC) program and other various community learning opportunities. These activities will assist in establishing and maintaining positive, meaningful and mutually respectful relationships.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

STRATEGIC POLICING PRIORITIES

INITIATIVES

Police Governance

Community Collaboration

Police Communications

Volunteers

Schools

KEY ACTIVITIES

• Regular reporting of all activities and complaints against police

• Active participation on community boards and committees

• Addition of a part time fleet assistant

• Traditional media• Social media• Website• Public survey 2018

• Expand volunteer capacity

• SRO Program• CLO Program

PREDICTED OUTCOMES

• Ensured alignment with Council and community expectations• Increased transparency and accountability

• Increased responsiveness to and awareness of community needs• Add value and unique perspectives to committees • Strengthened community relationships• Improve utilization of police resources• Meaningful employment opportunity for individuals with developmental

disabilities

• An informed community• Opportunities for community feedback• Increased information sharing• Alignment of services with community expectations

• Increased community engagement and efficiencies and enhanced service delivery

• Increased positive engagement and relationships with school communities

• Safer school environments• Reduction in calls for service

NEW BUDGET IMPACT

2015: $11K for part time fleet assistant

2018: $20K for Policing and Community Safety Survey

2017 & 2018: $50K/year for volunteer training and recognition

2017: $135K for additional SRO

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STRATEGIC POLICING PRIORITIES

PRIORITY #3 HUMAN RESOURCES AND TECHNOLOGYOur operating environment is increasingly complex and challenging, therefore it is important that we continually scrutinize our business practices and decisions to ensure the most efficient and effective deployment of our finite resources.

INITIATIVESHUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENTAs in any organization, our personnel and volunteers provide tremendous value to the community and the police service. The corporate knowledge that they have is immense and cannot be quickly or easily replaced. To this end, we need to ensure that our members, civilian employees and volunteers are able to develop to their full potential so that our succession planning is well thought out and leaves no gaps in our service’s future personnel needs. The MHPS is committed over the life of this strategic business plan to explore relevant training opportunities to develop a wide range of professional competencies and skills that are critical to the health of the organization and to ensure that we continually grow with the ever evolving complexity of police work.

We are proud that our service has consistently scored the highest crime solvability rates in Alberta for a police service serving a population of 100,000 or less. To maintain this distinction, we must continue to provide comprehensive and high quality training both internally through our own subject matter experts and from outside the service at other law enforcement education facilities. Our ability to solve crimes and conduct high quality investigations leads to reduced victimization in our community. By maintaining a high level of investigative excellence, we will be able to demonstrate a high degree of competence regardless of the complexity or type of crime we are investigating.

One of the major capital equipment requests is a virtual training simulator, which will enhance our control tactics and firearms training. It is projected that the equipment will assist officers in critical decision making, decrease training injuries and reduce training costs.The health and wellness of our staff is particularly important. We will actively support and maintain the health and wellbeing of all staff at MHPS by providing services such as occupational health and safety, peer support and fitness and lifestyle programs that are specifically catered to meet job demands.

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STRATEGIC POLICING PRIORITIES

HUMAN RESOURCE DEPLOYMENT AND TECHNOLOGYThe Service continues to be committed to ensuring our resources are properly aligned and deployed to ensure our service delivery is in line with our community’s needs. We must remain flexible to adjust our organizational alignments, business practices and staffing requirements.

Technology is often talked about as a challenge for police in terms of its growing applications in the commission of crimes at all levels and complexity. Criminals are constantly exploiting new technologies to expand their enterprises to exploit and victimize even more members of our community. However, technology not only enhances our investigative capacity, it also helps our investigators combat crime on an even playing field.

Keeping up with advances in technology is critical to our success. Technology not only assists us greatly in specialized investigative techniques, but also enhances our service delivery and streamlines our business processes.

HUMAN RESOURCES AND TECHNOLOGY

INITIATIVES

Human ResourceDevelopmentHuman Deploymentand Technology

KEY ACTIVITIES

• Succession planning• Development of a police recruit

class• Invest in the development of

current staff• Promote health and wellness• Investigational excellence• Increased use of business

intelligence tools• Workload analysis• Alignment• Leveraging technology

PREDICTED OUTCOMES

• Increased leadership capacity• Attract and train quality local candidates • Competent and effective workforce• Safe and respectful work environment • Maintain employee health and wellness• Continued credibility with the community• Increased solvability rate• Workload aligned with necessary job tasks• Optimizes directed patrol initiatives• Meet growing community demand for technological solutions

NEW BUDGET IMPACT

2017: $140K for virtual control tactics / firearms training simulator2015: $96K for various staff adjustments and redeployments; 2018: $140K for in-car video / body cameras

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STRATEGIC POLICING PRIORITIES

PRIORITY #4 OFFICER SAFETYThere are several undeniable inherent risks and hazards in carrying out the duties of a police officer. Although we can never eliminate all of the risks, we can help mitigate them to minimize their severity. The most effective way forward to enhance our police officer safety is by ensuring our officers are legally, physically and psychologically safe.

INITIATIVESLEGALThe MHPS will continue to align itself with the Alberta provincial standards, Alberta Association of Chiefs of Police recommendations and the best practices nationally. The Professional Standards Unit and our legal counsel will continually research relevant case law, new laws and policing standards and ensure our practices are ethical and aligned with the ever changing legal landscape.

PHYSICALQuality safety equipment and training is crucial in enabling our members to have a mindset and be able to perform in a manner that safeguards not only themselves, but also the community they serve. We will enhance the safety of our members with mission specific training and ensure that our members are provided resources and opportunities to improve their skills. We will provide protective safety equipment for members to use in the execution of their duties.

PSYCHOLOGICALPolice officers deal with many stressors due to the nature of their duties. Being psychologically safe is critically important. To meet these needs and mitigate these risks to our members, we will continue to provide employee wellness programs and maintain a respectful workplace that is in tune with the needs of its employees.

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INITIATIVES

Legal

Physical

Psychological

KEY ACTIVITIES

• Research Case Law policing standards• Align policy with Alberta provincial standards and best

practices• Ethical behaviour

• Training• Equipment• Standards• OH&S

• Peer Support• CISM• EAP• Chaplain• Professional services• Education and awareness• Fitness and lifestyle programs

PREDICTED OUTCOMES

• Current application of emerging law and new standards

• Reduced Professional Standards complaints• Increased public confidence

• Enhanced officer and community safety• Safer work environment

• Healthy and productive workforce• Enhanced staff mental health and wellbeing

NEW BUDGET IMPACT

OFFICER SAFETY

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TANGIBLE CAPITAL ASSETS BUDGETTCA Requests 2015 2016 2017* 2018*(in thousands of dollars)

Police Ancillary Equipment $ 57 $ 10 $ 74 $ 22

Scenario / Combative Room $ 25

Outdoor Range Revitalization $ 50

Virtual CT / Firearms Simulator $ 140

Bylaw Modular Animal Transport $ 17

In-Car Video / Body-Worn Cameras $ 60 $ 140

Specialized Traffic Enforcement Equipment $ 200

IT Equipment / Software Upgrades $ 30 $ 30

TOTAL $132 $ 10 $304 $409*Projected costs not yet approved

MAJOR OPERATING EXPENSESMOE Request 2015 2016 2017* 2018*(in thousands of dollars)

MDT Refresh Tough books $ 40 $ 40 $ 40 $ 40

Taser Transition $ 27 $ 21

Handheld Radios $ 54

TOTAL $ 40 $ 67 $115 $ 40*Projected costs not yet approved

2015-2018BUDGETIMPACTS

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Ph: 403.529.8400 / www.medicinehatpolice.com / mhps@mhps.ca

Facebook: www.facebook.com/mhpoliceTwitter: @medhatpolice

884 2nd Street SE / Medicine Hat, AB / T1A 8H2

MEDICINE HAT POLICE SERVICE