’Their days of hiding in the shadows are coming to an end’

A specialized police unit tasked with locating and arresting a list of criminals loose in Manitoba has apprehended a new suspect nearly every day since it launched, placing hundreds of violent offenders behind bars.

“Offenders who find themselves on this list are responsible for homicides, aggravated assaults, firearms offences and crimes that, quite frankly, caused immeasurable suffering and hardship,” Winnipeg Police Service Insp. Jennifer McKinnon said Tuesday, lauding the success of the Manitoba integrated violent offender apprehension unit.

The unit, which pairs officers from the WPS and Manitoba RCMP, has arrested 480 people since May 2023. It includes 12 officers (six from each agency) who target violent and prolific offenders, including suspects in serious and violent crimes and people wanted on outstanding warrants, McKinnon said.

RCMP Insp. Shawn Pike said the unit hunts for suspects throughout the province, searching everywhere from city streets to fly-in First Nations.

It is supported with information collected by other law enforcement partners, including the Manitoba Prosecution Service, Manitoba Corrections Service and the Canada Border Services Agency, McKinnon said.

“There are wanted individuals who have committed incredibly violent acts and continue to actively and purposely evade police,” Pike said.

“We are telling these individuals that their days of hiding in the shadows are coming to an end.”

The initiative resulted in around 264 arrests this year, data provided by the WPS show. Officers have conducted 594 warrant checks, knocked on 1,203 doors and executed 375 warrants since Jan. 1.

“Offenders who find themselves on this list are responsible for homicides, aggravated assaults, firearms offences and crimes that, quite frankly, caused immeasurable suffering and hardship.”–Winnipeg Police Service Insp. Jennifer McKinnon

Most of the arrests, 84 per cent, involved suspects on bail, probation or parole. Of those, 27 per cent were violent offenders known to police as gang members or criminal associates.

The unit has assisted on other WPS and RCMP investigations 20 times since its creation, and members have also partnered with agencies elsewhere in Canada, police said.

Although the number of arrests is significant, it is difficult to measure how much they will impact public safety, said Frank Cormier, a professor at the University of Manitoba’s department of sociology and criminology.

“When it comes to overall crime rates, they will not be greatly affected by this,” said Cormier, who has provided education on criminal justice issues for nearly three decades.

“If (the unit) does take a dangerous, violent person off the street and if people are safer, then it is worth something. I certainly don’t mean to dismiss it … but we have to think about the gain we get and what cost it comes at.”

The former Progressive Conservative government provided $3.2 million in provincial support to the unit last year.

“If we had $3.2 million to invest in youth to try to keep them from getting in trouble with the law in the first place, I can’t help but think that would go a lot further than going after some guys who are already engaged in this behaviour,” Cormier said.

Justice Minister Matt Wiebe committed to continuing the funding Tuesday, saying the unit “targets people who are terrorizing Manitobans” and has made “significant strides in the fight against violent crime.”

Justice critic Wayne Balcaen endorsed the ongoing support but criticized Wiebe for not mentioning it was a Tory initiative.

“They want to pat themselves on the back for excellent public policy that was created by the Opposition,” he said by phone.

Mayor Scott Gillingham also supported the unit, saying its creation was promised during his 2022 election campaign.

“Every arrest made, every warrant executed, contributes to making our neighbourhoods safer for everyone,” he said.

The arrests come amid a time of heightened public concern in Manitoba and Winnipeg, where recent polling shows violent crime is top of mind.

The NDP government has pledged to remain tough on crime. Wiebe mentioned several public safety initiatives, including an enhanced bail monitoring program and upcoming legislation to restrict the sale of machetes.

The WPS and RCMP also announced the launch of a new website listing Manitoba’s most-wanted criminals. It will showcase some of the offenders the integrated unit is actively searching for.

The website currently features 10 suspects, ranging in age from 22 to 44. They are wanted for an assortment of offences, including assault with a weapon, firearms charges and parole violations. But some of the descriptions simply say a suspect is wanted on warrants.

Cormier suggested police release more information about the person and the crimes they are wanted for, saying it would demonstrate to the public why it is important to get those people behind bars.

More information might help educate the public and elicit more tips, he said.

Winnipeg Crime Stoppers is offering enhanced rewards for information leading to the arrest of suspects on the most-wanted list. Rob MacKenzie, the organization’s chair, said public tips have contributed to 65 arrests this year.

Pike said social media has proven to be a valuable resource to generate tips, saying Mounties arrested 43 people as a result of information shared on social platforms last year.

The police agencies reminded the public not to attempt to apprehend people identified on the list themselves.

The website can be viewed at winnipeg.ca/police/crime-prevention/manitobas-most-wanted.

tyler.searle@freepress.mb.ca