An extra 66 officers will be added to police services province-wide as part of the province’s plans to make all Manitoban communities safer. This announcement was made by Premier Greg Selinger.
“Manitobans deserve to feel safe in their communities and in their neighbourhoods,” Selinger said. “This investment in policing provides communities with more resources to ensure those who commit crimes are brought to justice. More police on the streets will deter criminals and protect Manitoba families.”
“The addition of 27 officers to RCMP municipal contracts and the provincial police service agreement is an important step forward in recognizing the heavy workloads and pressures faced by our communities and members of the RCMP throughout Manitoba. Policing roughly 99 per cent of Manitoba, the RCMP continues to look forward with innovative and proactive policing solutions. These additional officers will add to our ability to fulfil these commitments to the citizens of Manitoba,” said Assistant Commissioner Bill Robinson, commanding officer of RCMP ‘D’ Division.
“I appreciate the province’s commitments to adding additional resources to the Winnipeg Police Service and other policing agencies across Manitoba. Our goal is to work with communities to provide a safer environment for the citizens of Winnipeg and additional resources will certainly help,” said Winnipeg Police Chief Keith McCaskill.
“The addition of these police officers is welcomed by the police community in Manitoba, particularly communities that have not received this type of funding in the past,” said Keith Atkinson, chief of the Brandon Police Service and president of the Manitoba Association of Chiefs of Police.
With this new investment, Manitoba will have funded an additional 255 police officers since 1999. By directing a three-year commitment of federal funds, 30 more officers are also being added. The combined provincial and federal funding has added a total of 285 police officers to services across Manitoba, Selinger said.
The announcement includes funding for police officer positions as follows:
RCMP provincial police service (20 officers).
RCMP municipal policing (seven officers):
• Dauphin – one officer;
• Portage la Prairie – one officer;
• Selkirk – one officer;
• Swan River – one officer;
• The Pas – one officer; and
• Thompson – two officers.
Independent municipal police services (37 officers):
• Altona Police Service – one officer;
• Brandon Police Service – one officer;
• Morden Police Service – one officer;
• Ste. Anne Police Department – one officer;
• Winkler Police Service – one officer; and
• Winnipeg Police Service – 32 officers.
First Nation police service (two officers):
• Dakota Ojibway Police Service – two officers
