No need to worry about parole office . . .

Letters to the Editor / March 18, 2005

No need to worry about parole office
This is in response to an article published in your paper on Feb. 11, entitled “Parole Office Move Cost $600K.” As district director responsible for the Ottawa parole Office, I believe it is imperative that I respond to the concerns raised by community residents in regards to the new location of our Parole Office and to ensure the readers that we have taken and will continue to take their concerns seriously. The Correctional Service of Canada’s (CSC) primary responsibility is public safety. The Ottawa district parole officers are highly dedicated and professional peace officers responsible for the supervision of offenders in the community which is their primary public safety role. CSC and the Ottawa Parole Office are sensitive to the concerns raised by the community residents. During the many community meetings that have taken place over the last several months I have stressed to interested community residents that the vast majority of supervision contacts with offenders take place in the home or place of work, not in the parole office. Since community concerns were raised, my staff and I have met on several occasions with school officials and interested parents, including Mr. Albert Galpin, to listen to their concerns, to outline our mandate and to work with them to explore ways we can further a productive dialogue with the community. We have also held an open house at our new offices, to provide the public with an opportunity to meet with our staff and to raise any concerns they may have as it relates to the work we do. We have opened a dialogue with community groups and have brought in local police officials to be part of the exchange, to ensure all issues are addressed. In an effort to expand opportunities for dialogue we have also scheduled community discussions which will include community members, Ottawa parole staff and members of the citizens’ advisory committee. We will continue to have ongoing dialogue and engagement with all interested citizens and community groups as long as concerns continue to exist. In a further effort to ensure openness, we have offered to meet with municipal, provincial and federal authorities to provide any information they may need on our office and its role in the community. We are also committed to sustaining an ongoing dialogue with school officials, community groups and interested citizens to ensure concerns in regards to public safety are fully addressed. We believe that with greater openness and informed exchange, we can respond positively to the perceptions held by some in the community. As a community service to further this goal, we have extended an invitation to your reporters to spend a day with our parole officers to develop a greater understanding of the realities of the day-to-day work that is done to contribute to the safety of our communities. This invitation remains open to your staff. Finally, we will be exploring, with local community groups and local law enforcement, how we can enhance our contribution to the crime prevention strategy for Ottawa and this community. This will further enhance the already positive contribution we make to building a safer community for local residents. Ana Paquette, District Director, Ottawa District, Parole Office

No need to worry about parole office

This is in response to an article published in your paper on Feb. 11, entitled “Parole Office Move Cost $600K.”
As district director responsible for the Ottawa parole Office, I believe it is imperative that I respond to the concerns raised by community residents in regards to the new location of our Parole Office and to ensure the readers that we have taken and will continue to take their concerns seriously.
The Correctional Service of Canada’s (CSC) primary responsibility is public safety. The Ottawa district parole officers are highly dedicated and professional peace officers responsible for the supervision of offenders in the community which is their primary public safety role. CSC and the Ottawa Parole Office are sensitive to the concerns raised by the community residents.
During the many community meetings that have taken place over the last several months I have stressed to interested community residents that the vast majority of supervision contacts with offenders take place in the home or place of work, not in the parole office.
Since community concerns were raised, my staff and I have met on several occasions with school officials and interested parents, including Mr. Albert Galpin, to listen to their concerns, to outline our mandate and to work with them to explore ways we can further a productive dialogue with the community.
We have also held an open house at our new offices, to provide the public with an opportunity to meet with our staff and to raise any concerns they may have as it relates to the work we do.
We have opened a dialogue with community groups and have brought in local police officials to be part of the exchange, to ensure all issues are addressed.
In an effort to expand opportunities for dialogue we have also scheduled community discussions which will include community members, Ottawa parole staff and members of the citizens’ advisory committee. We will continue to have ongoing dialogue and engagement with all interested citizens and community groups as long as concerns continue to exist.
In a further effort to ensure openness, we have offered to meet with municipal, provincial and federal authorities to provide any information they may need on our office and its role in the community. We are also committed to sustaining an ongoing dialogue with school officials, community groups and interested citizens to ensure concerns in regards to public safety are fully addressed.
We believe that with greater openness and informed exchange, we can respond positively to the perceptions held by some in the community.
As a community service to further this goal, we have extended an invitation to your reporters to spend a day with our parole officers to develop a greater understanding of the realities of the day-to-day work that is done to contribute to the safety of our communities. This invitation remains open to your staff.
Finally, we will be exploring, with local community groups and local law enforcement, how we can enhance our contribution to the crime prevention strategy for Ottawa and this community. This will further enhance the already positive contribution we make to building a safer community for local residents.

Ana Paquette,
District Director,
Ottawa District,
Parole Office