Neighbourhood Watch Bulletin for 2021-04-08

A few topics collected from March 24 to April 8th:

• Neighbour’s vigilance assists in high-end vehicle theft arrest in Kanata.
• Spring riding tips for motorcycle riders.
• A letter to the Ottawa community from the Community Equity Council.
• Expect to see more people on bikes and put safety first.

If you’re interested in helping out, see our Neighbourhood Watch Page.

– Alex

P.S. Using X, Y, Z as names to avoid having to redact names later on if they are innocent. Or would readers want the names? Write to the webmaster or add a comment to this post if you have an opinion.

—– Forwarded Message —–
Subject: Neighbourhood Watch Bulletin for March 24, 2021
Date: Wed, 24 Mar 2021 13:23:22 -0400
From: Darren Joseph <wellingtoncpc@gmail.com>

Neighbour’s vigilance assists in high-end vehicle theft arrest in Kanata

Frontline Patrol officers intercepted a suspicious vehicle in Kanata, leading to the arrest of three men and a young offender for vehicle theft.

On March 22^nd at approximately 3:30am, an attentive neighbour called the Ottawa Police Service when he noticed a man trying to break into his neighbour’s Toyota Highlander.

One of the responding officers noticed a matching vehicle driving away from the initial call location and attempted to intercept it. The driver refused to stop, and a short pursuit was initiated. At one point, the driver came to an abrupt stop in the middle of the roadway and fled on foot.

Frontline officers assisted by K9 established containment and searched the area. They later intercepted a 2^nd suspicious vehicle and found the theft suspect in the back hatch. All other occupants were subsequently arrested without incident.

West Criminals Investigators have charged X, 23 years old and Y, 21 years old both from Laval, Quebec and Z, 18 years old and a young offender, both from Montreal, Quebec with:

• Theft of motor vehicle
• Conspiracy to commit and indictable offence
• Prowling at night
• Mischief under $5000
• Mischief tampering with computer data
• Possession of an auto master-key
• Possession of a device to obtain computer service
• Possession of break and enter tools

Y was further charged with fleeing from Police.

X, Y and Z are scheduled to appear in court later today.

The young offender was released by undertaking with conditions.

Investigators would like to remind residents to take precaution in order to protect their vehicle.

Any Lexus/Toyota SUV owners that notice new or fresh damage to the driver’s side door handle or observe someone taking photos of their dashboard Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), are asked to report it to the Ottawa Police Service.

Spring riding tips for motorcycle riders

Ottawa Police Service motorcycle officers are reminding fellow riders to be aware of spring riding safety.

“With warmer weather, more motorcycle riders are on our roads and spring riding has its own particular hazards and dangers,” says Constable Sean Ralph. “When getting your bike back on the road, please keep safety and potential hazards top of mind.”

Potholes: Riders be aware of damage to road surfaces in the winter months caused by frozen asphalt and snow plows.  The best way to deal with them is to remain attentive and avoid them until road crews can make repairs.

Road Debris / Sand and Gravel: They’re necessary to keep the roads safe during our winters, but they create a safety hazard for motorcyclists in Spring. Salt leaves a fine film, which reduces traction, making it harder to control your bike. Sand accumulates on roadways in corners, intersections, and between tire tracks. Residue is more prevalent on low-traffic roads, but prepare for it to be on all streets, especially in turns. Better yet, wait until after a heavy rainfall or street sweepers to clean the road before heading out.

Rusty Skills: It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been riding or how fantastic a rider you think you are, these are perishable skills that decline when they’re not used. Your first Spring destination should be a vacant parking lot where you can practice slow speed maneuvers, quick braking, and swerves. Develop the muscle memory to make your reactions automatic and controlled.

Car Drivers and Other Traffic: They haven’t had to share the road with you for five months. Drivers don’t see you at the best of times, let alone when they’re not expecting you. Assume you’re invisible. Give yourself plenty of space, pay attention to what other drivers are doing, anticipate their next move, and make yourself as visible as possible by wearing a bright fluorescent jacket.

Motorcycle Readiness: Even if meticulously winterized, give your bike a thorough inspection before taking it out the first time. It’s carrying precious cargo! Tires will likely have lost air pressure and need a top up. Check cables, fluid levels, and tire treads.

We are also reminding drivers and other road users and drivers to watch out for motorcycles by following all traffic laws and sharing the road.

More motorcycle safety tips are available online.

A letter to the Ottawa community from the Community Equity Council

To the Ottawa Community,

The Community Equity Council (CEC) was pleased to co-host the 2020 Human Rights Learning Forum, “We need to talk about systemic racism.” The conversation of systemic racism and how to address it has been central to the work that the Community Equity Council has been doing with the Ottawa Police Service.

We know that for these conversations to have an impact we need different perspectives and voices contributing to the conversation. We also know it is critical to move beyond the conversation to transformed relationships and institutions.

The Human Rights Learning Forum reminded us of our shared commitment – to create safe communities within the broader Ottawa community. As Ottawa Police Service members and community members continue to have these important dialogues, the role of the OPS in supporting community safety in Ottawa will continue to evolve and change.

For change to happen in any institution, the members of the institution need to be part of that change.  We know that there is power in collaboration and saw the Human Rights Learning Forum as another opportunity to learn together.

Thank you for your thoughtful contributions to this critical conversation for the Ottawa community.

Please note that the Summary Report from the December 2020 Human Rights Learning Forum can be found online.

Expect to see more people on bikes and put safety first

Cycling is growing in popularity and the warmer weather is drawing more and more riders out for commuting and pleasure. The Ottawa Police Service is offering some safety tips for cyclists and motorists so we can all share the road safely.

Motorists may not be used to seeing cyclists on the roads, so this is a reminder to watch out for them.  While the rules of the road apply to cyclists as well, motorists should exercise more care around vulnerable road users.

Motorists

• Cyclists have the right to occupy a lane, so be prepared to share the road
• Give cyclists one meter when you are passing
• Know the hand signals used by cyclists
• Review the rules around bike lanes
• Be situationally aware of less visible road users, which includes double-checking for cyclists, pedestrians and motorcycles when you are turning or changing lanes

Other road users

• If you are cycling, follow the rules of the road – don’t surprise motorists with unexpected manœuvres
• Use hand signals to let other road users know what you are doing
• Follow all laws with respect to roadways, sidewalks and pathways
• Ensure your bicycle is equipped with a bell and lights
• Be situationally aware of what is going on around you

In 2019, there were four fatalities and 290 injuries to cyclists involved in collisions on Ottawa roads.

Safety is everyone’s responsibility, but the risk of injury is higher for cyclists in collisions with motor vehicles. Please think about other road users as you commute.

Follow these tips to remain safe on your commute. Cyclists, keep your bike safe too by registering it for free on 529 Garage.

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Contact Cst. Stephanie Lemieux directly (east of O-Train, Line 2) at lemieuxs@ottawapolice.ca or 613-236-1222, ext. 5287.

Contact Cst. Darren Joseph directly (west of O-Train, Line 2) at josephd@ottawapolice.ca or 613-236-1222, ext. 5871.