Violence against Winnipeg police officers rises for third consecutive year

Winnipeg Free Press

12-05-2025

The number of reported assaults against police and other peace officers in Winnipeg has climbed three years in a row to a recent high, mirroring spikes throughout Manitoba and Canada.
The union representing Winnipeg police officers and civilian staff said the trend reflects what it is hearing from members on the front lines.
'Sadly, we are consistently hearing of the increased violence that they are facing daily,' Winnipeg Police Association president Cory Wiles wrote in an email. 'Between the aggression towards our officers and the increased presence of edged weapons and firearms, risks to our members have dramatically increased.'
He said the safety of WPA members and issues, such as preserving the two-officer patrol car model, are of 'paramount concern.'
Police board chair Coun. Markus Chambers echoed concerns about violence against officers.
'For the board, it's about making sure that the service, the officers have the tools that they need to deal these issues once they arise,' he said. 'Just making sure, from a de-escalation standpoint, that they have the training necessary to de-escalate situation to the extent possible.'
As per the Criminal Code's definition, peace officers include correctional officers, sheriff's officers, Canada Border Services Agency officers and certain members of the Canadian Armed Forces.
A new Winnipeg Police Service statistical report said 421 assaults against peace officers were recorded in 2024, up from 388 in 2023.
The 2024 total was higher than immediate pre-pandemic totals previously reported by WPS. Declines were observed in the first two years of the pandemic.
A WPS spokesperson on Monday deferred to comments last week from Deputy Chief Art Stannard, who was alarmed by an increase in assaults on city police officers.
'We have to protect our members out there,' he said at a news conference Wednesday. 'We will, through tools and through equipment, but we need the justice system, as well, to have consequences for people that assault peace officers.'
Manitoba's police agencies reported 937 assaults against peace officers in 2023, according to Statistics Canada data. It was the fourth consecutive year with an increase.
About 88 per cent of the assaults in 2023 were 'cleared' by a criminal charge.
Nationally, the number of reported assaults against peace officers has increased every year for almost a decade. Manitoba's rate of 64 incidents per 100,000 people was higher than a national rate of 34.
In November, a Winnipeg police officer was stabbed in the throat by a man who was then fatally shot by police. Earlier this month, a Brandon Correctional Centre officer was stabbed twice in the back by an inmate.
'Sadly, we are consistently hearing of the increased violence that they are facing daily.'–Cory Wiles
Frank Cormier, a criminologist and University of Manitoba professor, said there is no precise explanation for the increases.
He said the use of alcohol or drugs, such as methamphetamine, could be one of the contributing factors.
'If we have more people intoxicated by various things, we will see more assaults on police simply because police are the people who get called when somebody is highly intoxicated and acting in some sort of way,' Cormier said.
The uptick in assaults has coincided with an increase in addictions or mental-health issues, Chambers noted.
Chief Gene Bowers has said WPS will work with partners to implement 'community-based solutions' in which the response to some mental-health calls is led by clinicians.
An existing program sends a plainclothes officer and mental-health clinician to assist general patrol officers on certain calls. The province is hiring more clinicians.
'Hopefully, with the pairing with a clinician, whether it's a social worker, mental-health worker or crisis worker, we can de-escalate these situations where violence against in officer is not experienced,' said Chambers.
He said he believes bail-reform measures, which would make it harder for repeat violent offenders to gain release when charged with a new crime, could also help.
The overall call volume to WPS has climbed to more than 2,000 per day in recent years. Well-being checks, domestic incidents and family trouble are among the most common types of calls.
Chambers said police often encounter people who are in 'vulnerable' moments or are experiencing a range of emotions or circumstances.
Cormier said changes in people's social behaviour since the pandemic could be a factor.
'It feels as if some of the natural social controls that normally tend to curb these kinds of things have been sort of loosened in more recent years,' he said.
'We will see more assaults on police simply because police are the people who get called when somebody is highly intoxicated.'–Frank Cormier
The pandemic and high-profile incidents, such as the May 2020 murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, stirred negative sentiment toward authorities and law enforcement in North America.
'I don't think there's any question at all that the degree of respect that is felt toward police — and not just police, but a number of public institutions or public officials — has diminished,' Cormier said.
Police officers are commonly assaulted during an arrest. Cormier said de-escalation techniques can influence data.
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If police do not have to take physical control of a person during an arrest, the odds of an assault on an officer will drop, he said.
A conviction for assaulting a peace officer carries a maximum sentence in the Criminal Code of five years. Additional charges with tougher penalties can be laid depending on the circumstances.
Crowns who handle these cases regularly remind the court that sentences should recognize the important role that police play in the justice system, said Christian Vanderhooft, a prosecutor and president of the Manitoba Association of Crown Attorneys.
'The (association) certainly appreciates the increased violence police officers face, and our members follow internal policy on these cases, recognizing the special role officers play in public safety,' he said in a statement. 'Police officers do a difficult job. The last thing they should worry about is being assaulted.'
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The Winnipeg Police Board is seeking input from residents while it develops a five-year strategic plan for the city's police service.
The board wants people to weigh in on areas where policing is effective or where it could be done differently, and what they recommend to bring 'transformational change' to policing and public safety in Manitoba's capital, a news release said.
Community input will help guide the priorities and objectives for the Winnipeg Police Service in the 2026-30 strategy plan, the board said.
Discussions will be held with some organizations, community groups and leaders in the city. Open public forums will also be held, with details still to come.
People who live, work or visit Winnipeg can provide input through an online survey and submission form.
The plan will be published later this year.
Chris KitchingReporter
Chris Kitching is a general assignment reporter at the Free Press. He began his newspaper career in 2001, with stops in Winnipeg, Toronto and London, England, along the way. After returning to Winnipeg, he joined the Free Press in 2021, and now covers a little bit of everything for the newspaper. Read more about Chris.
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