Lack of safe sobering site a 'significant gap' for downtown safety, police chief tells Winnipeg Chamber
Gene Bowers says Winnipeg Police Service adding 12 more foot patrols in area by June
Winnipeg's new police chief says crime in the city's downtown is becoming increasingly violent, but the service can't solve the complex issues that affect community safety on its own.
At a lunch event Thursday, a month after he was sworn into the role, Gene Bowers outlined his vision to members of the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce.
He told business leaders they face an "entirely different landscape" from when he worked in security at the downtown Bay building in the 1980s, catching shoplifters.
"I had guns and knives pulled on me when I was there," he said. "That violence, though, we didn't see it all the time as we're seeing it now."
The chief emphasized the importance of collaboration throughout his speech, saying police services need to make "meaningful connections" with businesses in the communities they serve.
Bowers called on businesses leaders to help advocate for change, mentioning the lack of safe sobering sites as one "significant gap" he's identified.
"These individuals are caught in the grips of addiction and are at risk to themselves, and frequently can have a dramatic negative impact on the community safety," Bowers said.
"A safe sobering centre would provide a safe place … where they could come down and then be offered services once they are sober."
The chief also pointed to steps the police service has taken to make the downtown safer, such as an initiative that saw increased funding for police working overtime in places identified as retail theft hot spots.
That has resulted in 969 arrests over the past six months, as well as the recovery of $120,000 in stolen property and 165 tickets handed out for disrupting businesses, he said.
Bowers said the initiative also led to an investigation into the fencing of more than $297,000 worth of stolen property, resulting in 24 arrests.
"Additional spinoff investigations were launched, one involving $1.5 million of stolen iPhones and the other resulting in the recovery of half a million dollars of stolen property," he said.
The city's theft problem "is very organized," with thieves "going right to the fence" to sell stolen goods, said Bowers.
"They're getting their money and, for the most part, using it to buy illicit drugs."
Bowers said police will add 12 foot patrols to the downtown area by the end of June through funding from the provincial government, bringing the total number in the area up to 36.
"Social issues have become more visible … with addiction, mental health and homelessness," he said.
"These are all very complex issues that cannot be solely addressed by the Winnipeg Police Service.… We need to find collaborative solutions to ensure we provide care and compassion to those in need while creating a safe environment."
'Everything is a target'
Michael Paille, owner of Cobra Collectibles on Sargent Avenue, said businesses are finding that "everything is a target" for thieves.
"They have no worry about cameras," he said. "Just over the weekend, somebody tried to break into my store, and I have a blind in the front. They crowbarred it, couldn't get in, but it cost me $500 in damages."
Paille said he would like to see tougher penalties for criminals.
Amanda Buhse, owner of Coal and Canary — a candle-making company whose products are sold at locations around Winnipeg and beyond — said her small business has had offices around the downtown, and they've been broken into multiple times.
"It's obviously completely devastating when you're a small business owner. We already have enough challenges as it is."
She said the more boots on the ground, the better.
"The more support we can see from our police, the better win-win it is for everyone all around from a small business perspective, [and] from a consumer perspective, people feel safe going to these stores to shop as well."
With files from Mike Arsenault