Winnipeg Police Service :: UD :: 1998 Annual Report Chief's Message

TOWARD A SAFER COMMUNITY
CHIEF'S MESSAGE	MISSION STATEMENT "To provide a continuously improving police service to the citizens of Winnipeg through ongoing community commitment"
1998 was a dynamic year for the Winnipeg Police Service, as we adapted to many changes. Since being named Chief of Police in November 1998, it has been an exciting and busy time for me personally. I truly believe the Winnipeg Police Service is committed to excellence, and I wish to build on that foundation. My vision is to develop the Winnipeg Police Service into a centre of excellence, specifically in the areas of investigation and training. Although excellence is a goal to which we can all aspire, it is the excellence in the day-to-day performance of our duties, often unrecognized, that allows the Winnipeg Police Service to function at a high level of proficiency. For this, our members working in operational divisions must take credit. My view is that Community Policing is a philosophical approach to delivering service, rather than a program. We want to take the best of this philosophy and continue to apply it to our day-to-day activities. This includes the operation of Police Service Centres throughout the city. The purpose of these centres is two-fold, to lessen the reliance on the telephone to address calls	for service, and to provide a police presence in neighbourhoods. Our Neighbourhood Foot Patrol and Community Officers are responsible for solving community problems that cause repeat calls for service in high demand neighbourhoods. The product of their work is an improvement in the quality of life in those areas. We must and will continue to build on our strong relationship with the citizens of Winnipeg. The Winnipeg Police Service and members of the community who assist us daily are partners in creating a safer city. In particular, I would like to thank the numerous citizens who volunteer their time to assist us in our Service Centres. Public safety is a concern of many departments, agencies and groups, and is not limited to the Winnipeg Police Service. Crime and dysfunction do not occur in a vacuum. They are symptoms of composite societal factors. With this in mind, our efforts are most effective when combined with those of community groups and agencies, as well as other levels of government. In this manner, the Community Policing philosophy takes on even wider significance.