Ottawa's new police chief starts with focus on hiring, recruiting

Ottawa's new police chief began his first day on the job by welcomingnine experienced officers into the force on Thursday morning.

"Withme, that's 10," Eric Stubbs said during his first news conference as police chief.

Stubbs, a 30-year veteran of the RCMP, citedstaffing and vacancy rates among the challenges he faces as he takes the reins.

"Everybody is struggling to fill seats," Stubbs said of industries like policing, nursing and teaching.

Acting Deputy Chief Trish Ferguson recently told the ongoing Emergencies Act inquiry that staffing challenges were the force's "Achilles heel" during last winter's Freedom Convoy protests.

Stubbs declined to comment on inquiry testimony describinginternal tensions within the Ottawa Police Service during the convoy. He did say working as a team is very important and that he's already spoken with most of the force's senior command.

"I think we're going to work really well together," he said during a follow-up interview Thursday with the CBC's Omar Dabaghi-Pacheco. "Any success I've had in my career that's been attributed to me generally should be attributed to the team that works with me."

Former police chief Peter Sloly, who resigned in Februaryamid fiercecriticism of theforce's handling of the protests,oversaw an effort torethink the way Ottawa officers respondto calls involving mental health

Stubbs said police forces across the country continue to respondto a high number of calls involving mental health "because, some of them, we just have to."

He did acknowledge in the news conference there could be a "shift" in responsibility for mental health callsto professionals who are "more capable in the community."

Despite not being experts, officers successfully de-escalate hundreds of calls without incident, he added.

"You just don't hear about it."

Lived in Ottawa previously

Stubbs said he's nota complete newbie to Ottawa as he recently lived here for three years.

According to the biography released by the Ottawa Police ServicesBoard, Stubbsworked at the national RCMP headquarters from2014 to 2017.

"I know where the Costco is," he quipped.

New OPS chief Stubbs speaks with CBC following swearing in

2 years ago

Duration 5:28

Chief Eric Stubbs and CBC's Omar Dabaghi-Pacheco discussed gaining trust with racialized communities, fractures in OPS senior command and the new chief's "baggage" coming into the role.

Still, Stubbssaid he faces a steep learning curve as he continues to meetwith community groups.

"The theme I've seen with the people I've met externally isthey're very welcoming ... they want to work with the police, even some that have perspectives that are maybe contrary to ours."

Stubbsalso responded Thursday to remarksthat he brings baggage from his time with the B.C. RCMP, when he oversaw the police response to a number of resource-based protests, including the blockadesthat took place on traditionalWet'suwet'enterritory in opposition to a pipeline project.

One western First Nations leader, Grand Chief Stewart Phillip of the Union of Indian B.C. Chiefs, has been particularly critical of Stubbs, calling his approach to community engagement during situations like the Wet'suwet'en blockades "arrogant."

Stubbs said theblockades werejust one issue among many he faced.

"I bring a lot more baggage into the room of working very successfully with the Indigenous communities throughout my career," he said.