Ottawa police hiring 80 new officers in 2022

Ottawa Police headquarters on Elgin St. is seen in this undated photo. (CTV News Ottawa)

The Ottawa Police Service will host four recruitment information sessions this week, as the service looks to hire 80 new officers in 2022.

The service has announced plans to hire new sworn-officers this year to support its mandate as it faces retirements and other staffing needs.

"A key focus of our hiring efforts will be to attract a talented cadre of candidates with diverse skills, abilities and experiences," police said in a statement.

"In a continued effort to be more reflective of the diversity of the communities we serve, our outreach strategies will be designed to encourage increased applications from females, Indigenous, and racialized candidates."

The Ottawa Police Outreach and Recruitment Team will be hosting four information sessions this week:

• Sunday: Recruiting session at the Sikh temple at 25 Gurdwara Rd. from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
• Tuesday: Pinecrest Recreation Centre, 2250 Torquay Ave., from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• Wednesday: Elizabeth Manley Park, 1261 Blohm Dr., from 4 p.m.to 7 p.m.
• Thursday: Jules Morin Park, 400 Clarence St., from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

"We recently identified that we're going to need up to 80 officers or more this year and we have to do active recruiting that will look at bringing in people that are reflective of our community," Interim police chief Steve Bell told Newstalk 580 CFRA.

"So beyond the really strong policing needs that our community are calling for, they're also calling for us to be a really progressive police service."

Bell told Newstalk 580 CFRA's Ottawa at Work with Leslie Roberts that the senior ranks will discuss the future direction of the service with the Ottawa Police Services Board.

"I don't think us being a properly staffed police service to provide community safety and wellbeing from a policing perspective is actually contrary to us being an extremely progressive, contemporary, forward looking police service that identifies the change we need," Bell said, adding police need to work with the board, council and the community.

Ottawa Police Week kicks off today across the city. 

This year's theme is "Your Police Service: Helping Build Safer Communities," which police say can be achieved by co-developing programs, ideas, and solutions to issues that are unique to the capital.

For more information, visit ottawapolice.ca/policeweek2022.