Winnipeg, MB – Training for the City of Winnipeg’s new Community Safety Team begins Monday, January 15, with 21 officers and two supervisors taking part.
“The Community Safety Team will help ensure Winnipeg Transit buses and shelters are safe spaces for both drivers and riders,” said Mayor Scott Gillingham. “This is significant step to enhance public safety and build confidence in the transit system as we look to completely redesign the route network in 2025.”
The establishment of a Community Safety Team in Winnipeg follows changes to the Province of Manitoba’s Police Service Amendment Act that expanded the scope and authority of community safety officers in municipalities. The service will seek to fill systemic gaps, bringing trauma-informed support to individuals in need while improving public safety. Initial focus of the Community Safety Team will be on the Winnipeg Transit system.
Training will focus on mediation and conflict resolution, non-violent crisis intervention, and community engagement. Officers will take part in classroom learning and scenarios that teach self-defense, security, and de-escalation techniques to ensure trauma informed, empathetic responses to the mental health and addiction crisis in the community.
“Beginning officer training is an exciting milestone in our journey to bring a safety model that focuses on improved public safety and responding compassionately to social problems while preserving the dignity and rights of all residents,” said Bob Chrismas, the City of Winnipeg’s Community Safety Team Lead. “Building a new team from scratch is a massive undertaking, and we could not do this without an incredible team effort within the City. We are also grateful for the support we’ve received from our partners in the Province of Manitoba, Assiniboine Community College, and many community agencies, in developing the program and providing the training.”
Initial training will take approximately six weeks. Officers will begin patrolling shortly after training.
We are committed to improving safety while supporting Winnipeg’s vulnerable residents. In addition to establishing a Community Safety Team, the City is a founding member of the Downtown Community Safety Partnership.
The City also recently partnered with the Government of Canada to fast track development of affordable housing units, and provided $1 million to support 24/7 Safe Spaces and pop-up shelter capacity during extreme cold this winter.