Winnipeg police say 72 more cops needed to keep up with escalating demand

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 06/12/2024 (322 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Winnipeg Police Service is seeking a budget boost to hire 72 additional officers as it argues a surge in emergency calls warrants more resources.

“We made it known that we need police officers on the street. The city has (grown)… We have the same amount of cars (for) the last 20 years, 25 years. We need more cars out there,” said Art Stannard, interim chief, on Friday.

In the summer, the service reached a record backlog of around 440 calls in its service queue, said Stannard.

While colder weather has been paired with lower seasonal demand since then, the need for more officers remains, he said.

Stannard said he’d like 72 new hires in addition to officers the province previously promised to fund.

“This is just for responding to calls in the city of Winnipeg,” he said.

The interim chief said he suspects the staffing request won’t be fully granted, due to the city’s budget constraints. However, he hopes at least some new hires will be funded when the city releases its preliminary budget on Wednesday.

Winnipeg Police Board chairman Markus Chambers said he’d also like to see more police officers added to the city’s complement to reflect Winnipeg’s growth.

“We need to right-size the department to ensure that we’re responding adequately and effectively to calls for service,” said Chambers.

Mayor Scott Gillingham expressed concern about the number of police in Winnipeg per capita. Gillingham’s office noted that figure dropped to 16.8 per 10,000 residents in 2023, from 20.3 per 10,000 in 2014.

“Consistently, I have been saying that we’re seeing an increase in our population, there’s increased pressure on our services and the delivery of services, and right now we’re not seeing the increase in revenues related to the growth as well. So, the budget will come out Wednesday and I’ll look forward to it then,” said Gillingham, following Friday’s Winnipeg Police Board meeting.

The mayor refused to confirm whether he will seek a property tax hike greater than the 3.5 per cent annual increase he campaigned on in 2022. However, Gillingham noted his mayoral campaign also included a plan to secure a new funding deal from the province.

“We need more revenue to continue to deliver the services the citizens of Winnipeg require, as our population continues to grow and the calls for services, especially emergency services, continue to climb. So, we have not yet got that new funding model from the province of Manitoba, so we need to raise more revenue,” said Gillingham.

The mayor has not publicly asked for an exact form of growth revenue, but has suggested the province could provide the city a portion of PST revenue.

On Friday, Premier Wab Kinew stressed his government has been generous with the city, noting it committed $10 million toward an upcoming $20-million repair of pipes involved with a major Fort Garry sewage spill. It will also provide $16.8 million more to municipalities next year, when a One Manitoba Growth Revenue Fund and operating grant increases are combined. The premier said millions more will be provided to support firefighting, policing and recreation.

“If you add everything together, I feel confident in saying that no one has done more for the City of Winnipeg than our team has in terms of the municipal-provincial relationship,” said Kinew.

The premier added he has a “great relationship” with Winnipeg’s mayor but stressed the province has financially “done our part.”

Gillingham could not be reached for an interview following the premier’s comments. In a written statement, he acknowledged the provincial support to date.

“We appreciate that this government has been open to conversation and has provided some additional support following years of municipal funding freezes, rapid population growth, inflation, and the challenges of a pandemic. Next week’s budget will show how we’re making the most of the resources available from all levels of government — and where more help is still required,” the statement said.

— With files from Carol Sanders

joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

X: @joyanne_pursaga