Ottawa Police are getting a boost from the federal government to fight violent extremism.
$1 millionwill go directly to Ottawa MERIT(Multiagency Early Risk Intervention Tables). The program aims to connect social and health services with high risk individuals.
Ottawa Police Service Staff Sgt. Anthony Skinner says, “What this funding allows us to do in a pre-criminal setting is include violent extremism or a progression towards violent extremism into one of the risk factors at the table.”
Together, under the guidance of the privacy commissioner, agencies come together in an intervention table.
An "intervention table," also known as a "situation table," is a regular meeting between law enforcement and practitioners who work together to review cases of at-risk individuals and coordinate interventions.
Skinner says“By connecting them to services to address (high risk behaviour), you may reduce their levels of anxiety or of anger or of lack of belonging and by virtue you are now tackling that issue.”
There are over 30 partners in the program now; together they evaluate over 100 risk factors that could lead to radicalization.
If enough of a case exists, a concrete and specific plan is made to address the individual or group.
Right now the program only exists in the city south-east end, but with the funding they will be able to expand city-wide.
Police say they will also hire one specific officer to deal with the program. The money will be spread over four years and comes from a federal fund called The Community Resilience Fund.
