Funds to combat crime in Brandon come at right time: mayor

The Mayor of Brandon says a financial boost of more than $250,000 to combat crime is coming at the right time, as the city continues to deal with issues related to crime, drug abuse and fears for public safety.

“It’s a problem across the country, and unfortunately we do deal with the same issues that we know other communities are dealing with,” Brandon Mayor Jeff Fawcett said.

The NDP government announced the Brandon Police Service (BPS) will receive $270,000 through the Criminal Property Forfeiture Fund, which puts proceeds related to crime back into communities.

BPS said the money will go towards several initiatives as they look to combat drug use, drug dealing and organized crime, while also looking to support the mental health of those who enforce the laws in Brandon.

With the funding, BPS will purchase handheld drug testing devices which can instantly identify controlled substances, as Fawcett said drug use and addictions along with drug dealing continue to be a concern in Brandon.

“It’s always an issue and its ongoing, there are a lot of people who are struggling with addictions and drug abuse, and we know the offshoot of that is often theft and petty crime,” Fawcett said.

One of the biggest issues currently facing Brandon, according to Fawcett, is how to support those who are struggling with mental health and addictions issues, as he said most believe local community groups do as good a job as they can to offer that support, but it’s often not enough to deal with the scope of the problem.

“The community groups do work together really, really well, so as a community we are not necessarily solving the issues, but we are battling with everything we have just to keep everything together, and everything in check,” he said.

“But the reality is we continue to need a lot more for these people who are suffering.”

There are also growing concerns in Brandon that those who are on drugs may cause public disturbances and create public safety threats, although Fawcett said officials believe many who commit violence in Brandon are not targeting or harming innocent bystanders.

“We have the issues with violence, but with things like that I would say that 99% of the time it’s people that know each other,” Fawcett said.

Police will also receive funds to help them battle organized crime in Brandon, as part of the funding  will be used to support the BPS organized crime unit, and to expand what police say are “successful programs” that target organized crime and related issues like drug trafficking.

A portion of the funding will also allow BPS to support law enforcement officers in Brandon that deal with situations and scenes that can be stressful, and in some cases traumatizing, as funding will allow for increased mental health supports for Brandon police officers and their families.

“We know the things these guys see and deal with are part of the job, but it’s a job that deals with some of the worst things you can imagine on a pretty regular basis, so it’s important to support them and support their families as well,” Fawcett said.

Last week, the province announced a new downtown safety initiative plan for Winnipeg that Justice Minister Matt Wiebe said would look to balance the need to support those who are struggling with mental health and addictions, with the need to maintain public safety and fight crime and theft in several Winnipeg neighborhoods.

In a July 15 media release announcing the funding for BPS, Wiebe said the province wants to see that same strategy now branch out into other communities in Manitoba including Brandon.

“This is one part of our government’s plan to get tough on crime and the causes of crime in every region of this province,” Wiebe said.  “This funding will support important initiatives that will improve public safety for Brandon families.

“Every Manitoban deserves to feel safe in their community.”

This story was originally published in The Winnipeg Sun. It is republished under a Creative Commons license as part of the Local Journalism Initiative.