A one-day Ottawa police initiative targeting public disorder in the ByWard Market has resulted in multiple arrests and drug seizures, according to an Ottawa Police Service news release issued Wednesday.
The operation, known as Project Intersect, was carried out on August 11 near the intersection of George Street and Cumberland Street, an area where police said community members had raised concerns about violent incidents, open drug use and public disorder.
The Ottawa Police Service described the effort as a joint operation between its Community Outreach, Response and Engagement (CORE) Unit and the Neighbourhood Resource Team, supported by intelligence work from the Crime Intelligence Analysis Unit.
Following the enforcement phase, the City of Ottawa partnered with police to carry out a targeted cleanup of the immediate area.
"Project Intersect reflects our continued commitment to hearing community feedback and taking direct action to keep our neighbourhoods safe," said Superintendent Kenneth Bryden in the release. "Local residents, business owners, and community members expressed strong support for the heightened police presence and direct response to public safety issues in the area."
The police service said it will keep deploying targeted patrols in the area and continue working with community partners to maintain safety, order and well-being across Ottawa neighbourhoods.
The initiative comes amid ongoing concern among ByWard Market residents and business owners about safety in the popular downtown district, which draws heavy foot traffic from shoppers, diners and tourists throughout the summer months.
Police encouraged residents to stay informed through the Community Safety Data portal at data.ottawapolice.ca, where the public can view, download and interact with data released by the Ottawa Police Service.
The service also asked residents to register their information and security camera locations at CAMSafe.ca to help support investigations, and directed non-emergency inquiries to 613-236-1222.
