Building a Safer Community

The vote to add 58 new officers to the Winnipeg Police Service was passed unanimously by city council Wednesday morning.  The motion will add 20 officers to the gang unit, while 20 will be dedicated to foot patrol, and 18 committed to a new police cruiser.

Mayor Sam Katz says he would like to see the same effect from this motion that we’ve seen from auto theft rates that have dropped by 74% over the last three years. 

However, that’s not to say there were not concerns brought to light over the long term costs.

Councilor Ross Edie of the Mynarski ward voiced his opinion over the long term financial viability of these additions.  Katz estimates the cost of these additions to be 1.1 million in 2011, and will increase in 2012 to 3 million, and thinks that people feel safer with more police on the street so it’s worth the investment.

Kristine Jansen has called Alexander Avenue home for three years and has never been a victim of crime, but she supports the addition of new police officers.  Jansen enjoys walking her seven year old Yorkshire Terrier Hogan around the block, but she admits “I don’t feel safe enough to walk him at night.”

“I’d definitely feel safer if there were more cops patrolling the streets, but I don’t think it’s the only answer.”

The consensus of the councilors Wednesday morning was that there will need to be a two pronged approach that would see the city invest more in social programs to compliment the additional efforts with the police department.

Edie said he has confidence in the Winnipeg police to not only enforce the law, but to address people in a manor that’s not aggressive, and recognize that we’re all human beings, which will help develop a safer community.  He stated that “the more aggression you apply the more aggression that will be kicked back”. 

Jansen has met officers before and says in her experience they have acted “polite and respectful”.  “When the police are respectful, I’m respectful towards them and realize their just doing their job”.

 “If you see an officer in your neighborhood all the time, you build up a relationship, you build up trust, you build up report, who better than the citizens who live in the neighborhood to tell you where the problem areas are.” Katz said.