August 31, 2015
Criminals to Pay for Greater Public Safety: Minister Mackintosh
– – –Manitoba's Forfeiture Fund Provides New Tools, Training for Law Enforcement
Criminals will pay for greater public safety through Manitoba’s Criminal Property Forfeiture Fund, which will provide more than $672,000 in new equipment, training and other resources for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and Winnipeg Police Service (WPS), Attorney General Gord Mackintosh announced today.
“This fund is a win-win for Manitoba communities and our police services,” said Minister Mackintosh. “Money is taken out of unlawful activities that damage our neighbourhoods, then reinvested through a grant process to do good instead. These specialized resources help keep officers safe, support increasingly complex and challenging investigations, and build relationships with the communities they serve.”
Money and other assets linked to unlawful activity can be forfeited to the province and placed into the fund. Every year this money is reinvested in law enforcement agencies and other initiatives through a grant program, the minister noted.
RCMP detachments across the province will receive more than $352,000 to support community projects, protect officers and promote road safety. Funded items include:
- a road safety video to reduce high-risk driving behaviour;
- updated body armour systems for 15 members of the emergency response unit and similar protection for five police dogs;
- canoes and life jackets for the detachment in Cross Lake to support programming for at-risk kids;
- a godmother walk and other community outreach projects in Selkirk that will provide training and public awareness regarding sexual exploitation;
- off-road vehicles to support the work of the auto theft unit; and
- specialized equipment including sound detectors, thermal-imaging cameras and hand-held radar units.
“We are committed to enhancing the safety of communities across Manitoba, making our roads safer and ensuring at-risk youths have the opportunity to succeed,” said Assistant Commissioner Kevin Brosseau, commanding officer, RCMP “D” Division. “The funds announced today will directly assist the RCMP to fulfil these important commitments.”
The WPS will receive nearly $200,000 for a new laser scanner system used to reconstruct and investigate traffic collisions. Another $120,000 will be invested in specialized officer training, focused on areas like:
- internet child exploitation,
- missing youth investigations,
- financial crime investigations,
- tactical emergency medicine, and
- working in schools and similar settings.
“By removing the incentives that drive criminal activity and reinvesting it in the future of our communities through crime prevention initiatives, specialized equipment and training, we are creating a culture of safety for all,” said Deputy Chief Danny Smyth, investigative services, WPS.
The minister noted Manitoba Conservation and Water Stewardship will receive $65,000 from the fund to purchase five new sets of night vision goggles to better detect and stop poachers. Manitoba Finance’s special investigation unit will also receive more than $2,000 for new camera equipment needed to shut down contraband tobacco sales.
Funding for these projects is part of more than $1.6 million in grants distributed through the Criminal Property Forfeiture Fund. Since 2010, nearly 1,200 files have been resolved and more than $12 million in assets connected to unlawful activity has been successfully forfeited to the province, the minister noted. The assets include homes, cash, vehicles and businesses.
For more information about the Criminal Property Forfeiture Fund, visit www.gov.mb.ca/justice/safe/cpf/index.html.
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