Winnipeg Police Service :: UD :: CounterAction - Crime Prevention for Businesses

Crime is Everybody’s Concern

The increasing rate of commercial crime in Winnipeg has created a number of problems for our business community. To combat those problems, the Winnipeg Police Service, in co-operation with the business community, developed the CounterAction Program.

CounterAction is an educational and awareness program that teaches business owners and their staff to proactively prevent crime.

CounterAction Goals

The goals of the CounterAction program are to:

CounterAct increasing crime in the commercial sector. CounterAction is highly visible and provides training in all aspects of business crime prevention from robbery and shoplifting to detecting counterfeit bills.
CounterAct repeat victimization. This program educates staff on how to perform site assessments to identify potential trouble locations in their environment. Using Crime Prevention through Environmental Design techniques, businesses learn cost- effective ways to make simple changes that can counteract crime.
CounterAct the public's impression of an unsafe business community. A business watch concept is established; and the program is actively promoted through the media to establish confidence and reassurance.
CounterAct potential problems with insurance companies by working together and establishing alternatives to dropping coverage and providing reduced costs for businesses involved in CounterAction.

The Benefits of CounterAction

To the Community

About 250,000 people work in Winnipeg businesses. Training they receive through the CounterAction program can be applied to their homes and communities.

The CounterAction program can enhance community safety in keeping with the Winnipeg Police Service Strategic Plan. People trained in CounterAction techniques learn:

Proper ways to deal with lost, upset or injured people
Techniques to help the public deal with stressful situations
Correct procedures when reporting to the police
Contacting other agencies, instead of the police, when it is appropriate
Enhancing overall awareness and abilities in detecting and dealing with all forms of criminal situations, often preventing crime before it happens

To Your Business

Your business benefits from having a staff prepared to deal calmly with potentially criminal situations. Losses are reduced. Danger can be averted. And everyone you serve - as well as your staff - feels safer and more confident.

Additionally, insurance companies refer higher risk businesses (repeat victims) to the program and enhance their alarm systems rather than refusing coverage or raising the premiums too high. Rates are reduced and the number of claims goes down.

Your Best Defence

Education and training are the most effective weapons that your business can use to fight crime.

To participate in CounterAction, contact your local BIZ organization, Chamber of Commerce or business association.

For more information about arson prevention, contact the Winnipeg Police Community Services Division at 986-6322 or email us

Get involved in the CounterAction program – for your business, for your community, for the future.

If you would like a Police Officer to provide a Power Point Presentation on this topic you can forward your request via one of three ways:

email your request to wps-communityrelations@winnipeg.ca
fax your request to 204-957-2450
mail your request to:
Unit Commander
Community Relations Unit
P.O Box 1680
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Canada R3C 2Z7

Due to demand, we request you contact us at least six weeks prior to the event. Most presentations are one hour in duration and handouts are provided. The presentation is free of charge - room to be supplied by the organization requesting the presentation, with a minimum of 20 attendees.