District Special Constables pilot already making a difference

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, May 28, 2025  9:15 a.m.

(Ottawa) — The Ottawa Police Service (OPS) is seeing early success from its District Special Constables (DSC) Pilot Project, launched in March 2024 to help ease pressure on frontline officers and improve overall service to the public. 

DSCs have taken on a range of duties – from helping with mental health hospital escorts and custodial transfers to managing road closures and crime scene security . That support has allowed frontline officers to stay focused on urgent calls, proactive policing and community safety. 

In just ten months, the four-member DSC team responded to 940 calls for service, releasing more than 2,540 hours back to frontline officers to rededicate elsewhere. Nearly 40% of those officers were able to attend another call within 20 minutes of being relieved, and, on average, they were able to respond to three additional calls during that freed-up time. The pilot also helped improve member wellness and shift outcomes, with officers completing their shift on time in over 22% of DSC-supported calls. 

The benefits are being felt across the organization. The added support has helped officers reconnect with proactive policing, helping OPS better engage communities and address emerging safety issues. Feedback from members has been overwhelmingly positive, with 92% of frontline members, supervisors and dispatchers supporting the expansion and permanency of the program. 

Expanding Support Through Project Complement 

The DSC pilot is part of a larger effort known as Project Complement—an OPS-wide initiative aimed at easing staffing challenges and modernizing how police work is done. By bringing Special Constables and civilian personnel into more core policing roles, OPS is building a more flexible, modern workforce to meet the city’s changing needs.  

Thanks to recent changes under Ontario’s new Community Safety and Policing Act (CSPA), Special Constables can now support investigations, perform forensic tasks, manage evidence, and assist with time-sensitive calls under the supervision of sworn officers. That added support means more capacity to respond to the public, and less pressure on frontline teams. Project Complement also introduces Forensic Identification Technicians (FITs)— Special Constables trained to help with the growing demand for forensic services. 

Project Complement will improve service delivery, increase investigative capacity, and create new career pathways for individuals from diverse backgrounds, helping OPS build a team that better reflects the Ottawa it serves. 

Project Complement is made possible through funding and continued support from the Ministry of the Solicitor General. 

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Through the Community Safety Data portal data.ottawapolice.ca, members of the public can view, download, and interact with data released by the Ottawa Police Service.

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