#418 OPS — Trust But Verify

When we elect local leaders, we hand over a lot of power. We trust them to pass laws, spend our tax dollars, and manage public safety. But as voters, how do we make sure that power isn't abused?

It comes down to an old phrase: "Trust, but verify." We should have faith that our institutions want to do a good job — but we still need independent tools to double-check the actual work. In Ottawa, there's no place this matters more than the Ottawa Police Service (OPS).

Trusting the police doesn't mean handing them a blank cheque. Real safety means everyday residents get to check the receipts — and as your councillor, that's a job I'll take seriously.

How "Trust But Verify" Should Work in Ottawa Policing

We need police to keep our neighbourhoods safe, but the community has to actively monitor how that authority gets used. Here's how trust and verification should balance out:

The Trust (what we expect)	The Verification (how we double-check)
Honest accounts — we rely on officer testimony about what happened during a crisis or arrest.	Body-worn cameras — full frontline rollout should give us an objective video record, not officers' word alone.
Good behaviour — we expect the service to act professionally and clean up misconduct internally.	Independent watchdogs — outside bodies like Ontario's Inspectorate of Policing need to review complaints without OPS marking its own homework.
Responsible spending — we trust police to manage a massive municipal budget efficiently.	Auditor General reports — independent financial audits are how we catch overruns before they become the norm.
Fair treatment — we rely on officers to police every Ottawa neighbourhood equally.	Race-based data — public data portals need to keep publishing this so outside analysts, not just OPS, can verify fairness.

Why This Matters to You as a Voter

Democracy only works when the public stays informed. Trust without verification risks corruption and wasted spending. Verification without any trust breaks down public safety altogether — the goal is both at once.

When you vote this October, look closely at how candidates talk about the police budget and oversight. Are they offering you blind trust, or are they committed to strengthening the independent tools that let you verify the truth for yourself?

That's the standard I'm holding myself to in Rideau-Rockcliffe.

Vote for Peter Karwacki for Ward 13.