Over 1,200 responded to Cornwall police strategic-plan survey

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Chief of Police Shawna Spowart told the Cornwall police service board Thursday over 1,200 people engaged in a strategic-planning survey.

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As part of the process in developing a 2025-28 strategic plan, the survey engaged members of the public and was available in five different languages, including English, French, Spanish, Arabic, and Urdu. Spowart said the amount of participation over a six-week period was remarkable, and offering the survey in five languages was a first.

“Every language that we issued it in, it meant that there was an opportunity for somebody to be able to engage in the process that they may not otherwise have had the opportunity to do,” she said, indicating they received 1,098 responses in English, 67 in French, 17 in Spanish, 10 in Urdu, and nine Arabic.

The survey was offered electronically and in-person, physical copies were brought to different service clubs and religious institutions, and pop-up booths sought feedback from people at Walmart and the Benson Centre.

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In the first public update about the process, Spowart said things were moving along well and she praised consulting principal Pamela Smit from Veradus Consulting for her work on the file.

“I think I’m speaking on behalf of the entire group when I tell you that Pamela has exceptional skills in facilitating… to take everyone’s ideas and sift through them, and help steer us, I am really impressed thus far in what she has brought to the table…” she said.

Spowart said that visualizing what community safety will look like in the city in four years from now was a helpful and future-focused exercise for stakeholders. In March, employees will be able to provide input on what their strategic priorities are through planning sessions and a survey.

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“It’s always great to have different perspectives in the room,” said Spowart, who added that a specific planning session will seek input from employees who have been a part of the organization for five years or less.

“Sometimes we get accustomed to doing things the way we’re doing them. So this will give us perhaps an insight in what those folks are seeing and thinking, and in an environment where they will feel comfortable to share. Sometimes in an organization you don’t feel comfortable speaking out when you have less experience.”

Integrating data gathered from the CPS crime data analyst will also be a major benefit to providing strategic direction.

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“She’s compiling everything from the last five years that will eventually be incorporated in the planning process, so we can see where there’s been increases (in crime), where we’ve made some movement (in crime reduction), and determine where it is we need to focus on next,” said Spowart.

Progress results related to the 2021-2023 strategic plan and its priorities will be presented to the board sometime in the next few months.

In December, the board approved Spowart’s recommendation to hire Ottawa-based Veradus Consulting to lead the development of the strategic plan, which is expected to be ready for board approval in June. Veradus had the lowest bid for the project, between $34,000 to $45,000, plus associated costs estimated at about $5,500.

“You get to the table, you get to the room, everyone’s excited to come to the strategic planning meeting,” said vice-president of the board Patrick Dussault, board liaison with the strategic planning working committee.

“No offence… but I think the Cornwall police has tripled the response it received from the city on your strategic plan (survey),” said Dussault, addressing Mayor Justin Towndale in a friendly manner. “We need that (community) feedback, it’s very important.”

shoneill@postmedia.com

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