The Manitoba government is supporting a wide variety of initiatives aimed at keeping Winnipeggers safe and enhancing officer safety by providing the Winnipeg Police Service (WPS) with $647,000 from the Criminal Property Forfeiture Fund.
“As Winnipeggers, we all deserve to feel safe in our community,” said Justice Minister Matt Wiebe. “The Winnipeg Police Service plays a vital role protecting our community. The Criminal Property Forfeiture Fund has been an invaluable tool to support local efforts to fight crime. Our government is pleased to provide this funding to support a wide variety of important initiatives, including enhancing officer and victim safety, and providing mental health and trauma-informed training.”
Approximately $415,000 will support the purchase of new equipment to enhance officer safety, which includes a protective rescue van to help protect officers and the public, noted the minister.
“I cannot emphasize enough the importance of providing law enforcement additional tools to help ensure every officer can safely go home to their families every night,” said Wiebe. “This van will also help protect victims and bystanders in dangerous, high-risk situations.”
“The WPS is appreciative of provincial support through the Criminal Property Forfeiture Fund, as it puts necessary equipment into the hands of our front-line officers,” said Supt. Brian Miln, WPS. “Specially trained police intervention teams, who face daily the unfortunate but very real year-over-year increases of firearm violence, now have another much-needed layer of safety and protection with this vehicle.”
The WPS is also receiving $100,000 in funding to facilitate mental health and trauma-informed training for its members. Approximately $30,000 will support WPS engagement with Indigenous leadership and community on forming an Indigenous advisory council, which will provide guidance to WPS leadership and members to ensure culturally appropriate, trauma-informed practices, noted Wiebe. The remaining funds will be invested in other WPS programs, priorities and equipment.
The funding will be provided through the Criminal Property Forfeiture Fund, a program that uses the proceeds of the sale of seized criminal property to protect Manitoba families and enhance public safety. The funds are provided to organizations across Manitoba whose important initiatives build community, prevent crime, invest in youth and support victims of crime, added the minister.
