Dauphin hires Winnipeg security firm to patrol streets

THE City of Dauphin has hired a private security company to patrol downtown streets to enhance public safety and increase law enforcement visibility.

Patrol officers from Winnipeg-based Classify Security Group started conducting foot patrols through the downtown core, Vermillion Park, and the Dauphin Recreation Complex regularly on Tuesday. The staff will report issues to various departments and agencies in the community.

The pilot program will last six months.

“Residents and businesses have told us they want to see a greater visible presence in the community, and this pilot responds directly to that feedback,” Mayor David Bosiak said. “This initiative represents another important step in our ongoing efforts to improve safety and the overall experience in our downtown.”

The patrol officers are meant to be complementary to the work of RCMP and emergency services, the city said.

In a statement, Dauphin RCMP Sgt. Andrew Seeley said the additional security presence is welcome.

“Improving public safety in the City of Dauphin is a goal the RCMP shares with municipal leaders. Our officers look forward to working with the city’s safety patrol officers as part of ongoing efforts to make the city’s downtown a safer place to visit, shop and enjoy for everyone.”

One Dauphin business leader said more security is needed but it should have come from inside the community.

“We’re going to bring someone from Winnipeg in to secure our town when we have people looking for jobs?” said Almost New Store general manager Janie Galloway. “I don’t think we need a big company like that. It’s going to freak our town out.”

She said organizations like Dauphin’s Citizens On Patrol are an example of local efforts that could have been expanded.

“They walk around and they patrol our town. They don’t get paid. Why don’t we look into the people that are doing it for nothing for the past three years?” she said. “Let’s try hiring from our own community, our own town, before we need to go looking in Winnipeg for any security of any kind.”

A volunteer of the patrol group, who didn’t want to be named, said the group is sometimes difficult to staff. The volunteer patrol runs two or three times per week. Due to the summer vacation season, there are less members active — it’s also difficult to keep enough volunteers to run the program.

“Sometimes there is no citizens on patrol, like for maybe a week or two, you know, depending on the availability of the volunteers, and so having a paid security here in the community would be welcomed more than not,” he said.

As the patrol program proceeds, the City of Dauphin will monitor activity and gather feedback from community members including businesses, residents, community partners and law enforcement, the city said.

— Brandon Sun