Incident Report Centre (Details)

Name of province/ territory:

Quebec

City/ Region:

Montreal

Description of Initiative:

In 2008, the Centre de rédaction de rapports d'événements, or "CRRÉ" (Incident Report Centre) diversified the locations where it is possible to write a report for minor crimes and increased the amount of time alloted to do this. It gives citizens the alternative of calling to create an event report, rather than requiring them to go to their neighbourhood police station or have a police officer come to them.

The CRRÉ supports police stations in writing event reports. This allows police officers to spend more time patrolling and reduces hours of service counters at neighbourhood police stations.

Reports for the following offences are written at the CRRÉ by civilians:

• theft from or of a vehicle;
• certain non-violent petty theft;
• mischief (vandalism, damages, etc.); and
• lost objects requiring a police report.

• breaking and entering;
• vehicle theft; and
• petty theft.

Initiative Key Objectives:

• Offer better customer service.
• Reduce waiting times for citizens.
• Avoid needless travel for citizens.
• Improve call response time by freeing up patrol officers for calls where safety is compromised.
• Allow police officers with physical disabilities, whether injured on duty or not, to continue to perform police work.

Section Responsible for Implementation:

Police Information and Operational Communications Division

Key Contact:

Daniel Rousseau
Daniel.Rousseau@spvm.qc.ca

Groups/ Agencies/ Key Partners Involved:

• N/A

Level of Involvement (consultative - information sharing) and/or cooperative - direct involvement):

N/A

Amount of Time Initiative has been in Place:

The CRRÉ was created in 2008. Moreover, since 2012, police officers with temporary or permanent medical restrictions have been assigned to the Centre to write up certain types of reports over the telephone. The assignment of police officers to the CRRÉ started with a pilot project at two neighbourhood police stations in 2012. Since 2013, this service has been offered at all 33 neighbourhood police stations.

Reason for Undertaking the Initiative:

The creation of the CRRÉ followed from the observation that Montreal's citizens had no other choice but to travel to a police station to create an event report or have one taken by a police officer for minor crimes. With the CRRÉ, citizens no longer have to travel and increases the opening hours where it is possible to fill out an event report. They now have several choices available to them: at a police station, by telephone or by Internet.

At the same time, this initiative allows for police officers to be more available to serve citizens at police stations, and increases their visibility. The creation of the CRRÉ has reduced hours of service at police station counters to 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., while the event report writing service is available to citizens from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., seven days a week. The effectiveness of neighbourhood police stations and their various roles and responsibilities has also increased. The initiative is quickly becoming cost-effective.

Finally, with the implementation of the computer platform, M-IRIS (“Montréal – Inscription et recherche de l’information sur la sécurité”, a Montreal-based police software program for entering and searching data related to public safety), which allows for event reports to be made electronically and in real time, this service can be extended to other types of minor crime. With an instant return on investment, this project has become easier to implement.

Resources Required to Implement this Initiative:

This project mobilized numerous people and services. It included physical site development services, the installation of telephone and computer equipment, the creation of operational methods, the recruitment of civilian staff, training, etc. Exact costs are not available.

Method of Implementation:

The establishment of the CRRÉ in 2008 followed a citizen survey that allowed us to ensure that the proposed changes would be viable. In particular, we learned that only 27% of citizens would choose to travel to a neighbourhood police station to have a report created if the option of doing so by telephone or Internet were offered. Clientele evaluations were also taken into consideration.

Regarding the assignment of police officers to the CRRÉ since 2012, a feasibility study was conducted, then the project was tested at two police stations before being extended to all neighbourhood police stations. The results of the pilot project showed that this resourcing option allowed citizens' waiting times to be reduced and allowed units to avoid having police officers travel just to create a simple report.

Currently, the service is offered Monday through Friday, from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Meanwhile, service counters at neighbourhood police stations are open from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., seven days a week.

Key Outcomes of the Initiative:

The objectives were met well beyond our hopes. The services offered by the CRRÉ allow citizens to be served quickly, keep patrol cars from needlessly travelling and allow patrol officers to be proactive in preventing crime and responding to urgent calls more quickly.

Availability of a Communication Strategy:

Yes

Key Messages used to Publicize the Initiative:

A communication strategy that is both internal and external was developed, with the emphasis being placed on service to citizens.

Forms of Evaluation by which the Initiative will be Assessed:

• internal
• quantitative
• qualitative

Evaluation Completed or Community Feedback Received:

No

Summary of the Outcomes:

Generally speaking, citizens are very satisfied with the service offered. In many cases, the quickness with which requests are processed often enables, for example, insurance companies to accelerate the processing of their cases.

Finally, since 2012, the service offered by police officers at the CRRÉ has allowed citizens to be called back quickly, rather than keeping them waiting until a police officer could respond in person. By avoiding trips with car patrols, police officers can be more proactive in prevention and can respond to urgent calls. Dispatchers have noted greater availability of patrol cars to respond to urgent calls.

Summary of the Performance Measure Data Collected:

• Number of reports created
• Incident types
• Citizen comments

Economics of Policing Pillars:

• Efficiencies within Police Services

Further Details:

In the past, these types of reports were done by police officers throughout the area covered by the SPVM, with volumes differing from one community policing centre to the next. Centralizing it all and having the reports prepared by civilians makes it possible to rationalize costs, improve client service and optimize the use of our policing resources.

Additional Comments or Suggestions:

N/A

Record Entry Date:

2013-08-01