It won’t be easy, but new police chief has chance to turn city around
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Winnipeg’s new police chief has his work cut out for him.
Gene Bowers, who was sworn in Monday as the city’s 19th police chief, takes on his new role under a shifting political landscape, one that includes increasing demands from the public for a more proactive approach to crime prevention.
Bowers, a 36-year veteran, takes over as Winnipeg’s violent crime rate has skyrocketed to its highest level in at least 25 years.
According to Statistics Canada, Winnipeg’s violent crime severity index hit 193.24 in 2023, the highest it’s been since at least 1998 (the earliest available data).
It got as high as 191.24 in 2009, then gradually came down to a low of 117.16 in 2014 before climbing again.
Bowers is expected to steer the ship through some of the roughest waters the city has ever seen.
Winnipeg has experienced an alarming rise in violent crime in recent years, from shootings and stabbings to the scourge of gang violence that seems to be tightening its grip on city streets. For many Winnipeggers, it feels like the city is sliding into mayhem.
Trouble is, violent crime is not something any city can just police its way out of. There are deep-rooted, systemic issues at play that go well beyond traditional law enforcement. Poverty, addiction, mental health crises, and a lack of social supports have all contributed to the rise in violent crime.
Those issues may fall outside of what many of us see as traditional policing. But they are factors many police agencies now identify as challenges that all stakeholders, including every level of government, must tackle if society wants to bring crime rates down.
Bowers appears to be in that camp. He pledged to enhance community policing and to strengthen ties with the public, in part by reopening district stations to make officers more accessible to people.
He also said he would like to see some mental health calls led by clinicians, rather than police.
“I want to do good,” Bowers said Monday. “I want to make the city a better, safer place, and I just think I have the background and experience to do it.”
It helps that Bowers appears to be on the same page as Mayor Scott Gillingham, who said last week the city will launch a new mental health emergency service.
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“You’ve heard the chief talk about very much what I’ve talked about — identifying ways to get the right response to those in mental health crisis, and it may not be people with badges and guns,” the mayor told reporters Monday. “It may not be officers, but instead, health workers.”
It’s not an entirely new approach. Winnipeg already has some non-police outreach workers. However, many in the mental health field say the current approach does not go far enough.
Meanwhile, Bowers also said he wants reconciliation with Indigenous people to be part of the fabric of policing in Winnipeg. That’s a critical piece, considering the strain and mistrust that has existed for years between Indigenous people and law enforcement.
The new chief said he wants to set up an Indigenous action circle to give Indigenous people a stronger voice, including input into police training.
There are no quick fixes. Increasing police presence on the streets won’t necessarily make the city safer if it’s not accompanied by a broader approach that includes social services, youth programs, and crime prevention efforts.
Sure, parts of the justice system, including how bail is enforced, need to be strengthened. Governments also need to put more resources into prosecution as Crown attorneys continue to handle more complex cases.
But any successful policing strategy in today’s world requires a multi-faceted approach that includes working closely with community organizations, schools, and other partners to address the root causes of crime.
Former chiefs of police have attempted similar approaches and have had some success.
But police, and all levels of government, have not gone far enough. The data speaks for itself: Winnipeg’s violent crime problem has never been worse.
Bowers will have to demonstrate that he’s willing to not only confront crime head-on through traditional policing, but also to listen to the concerns of the communities hardest hit by it. It’s a delicate balancing act. He will have to show that police are tough on crime while also fostering trust and co-operation with the public.
It’s a difficult job and it’s arguably one of the toughest ones in the city right now. But if Bowers can rise to the occasion, he might be the one to help lead Winnipeg out of its current crisis.
tom.brodbeck@freepress.mb.ca
Tom Brodbeck is an award-winning author and columnist with over 30 years experience in print media. He joined the Free Press in 2019. Born and raised in Montreal, Tom graduated from the University of Manitoba in 1993 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and commerce. Read more about Tom.
Tom provides commentary and analysis on political and related issues at the municipal, provincial and federal level. His columns are built on research and coverage of local events. The Free Press’s editing team reviews Tom’s columns before they are posted online or published in print – part of the Free Press’s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.
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