Public safety took centre stage during a sometimes fiery mayoral debate Wednesday morning, as three candidates sparred over their plans to make Winnipeg safer.
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Public safety took centre stage during a sometimes fiery mayoral debate Wednesday morning, as three candidates sparred over their plans to make Winnipeg safer.
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Public safety took centre stage during a sometimes fiery mayoral debate Wednesday morning, as three candidates sparred over their plans to make Winnipeg safer.
The CJOB debate included candidates Scott Gillingham, Kevin Klein and Mike Vogiatzakis, who were selected as the top contenders in the race based on polling data.
Moderator Richard Cloutier asked how each would make the city safer, noting concerns about a delayed response to property crimes, such as break-ins.
JOHN WOODS / FREE PRESS
From left: Mayoral candidates Scott Gillingham, Kevin Klein, Mike Vogiatzakis
Klein noted he has promised a public safety task force and to hire more police, if he’s elected.
“We are 100 police officers short of the very bare minimum of the per capita (number) right now. We have to replace those officers,” the former city councillor and Tory cabinet minister said.
Klein estimated his plan to hire the additional officers would cost $3.99 per month per taxpayer, indicating he would raise property taxes.
“We’re going to have to raise taxes. We are short police officers and we know from a recent Winnipeg police poll that Winnipeggers don’t feel we have enough police officers. We’ve got to be able to cover the calls we have,” he said.
He would also have police cadets wait at hospitals with people who are in custody and require medical treatment, instead of police officers, to free up the more specialized, higher paid officers for other calls.
“Let’s move the cadets into the hospitals so that we can do a handoff and we can get police cars back on the street,” said Klein.
Vogiatzakis called Klein a “recycled politician” for that response, noting hospital offloading delays have been a problem for many years. He said he would “get tough on crime” instead.
“Stop with the garbage. Stop with the catch-and-release program. Work with the (senior) governments,” he said.
Vogiatzakis added he’d also “instruct the police board, the police chief” to address the issue.
Klein challenged that claim, since Winnipeg’s mayor does not have the power to direct police operations.
“You don’t have the authority, Mike. You don’t understand. You don’t live in Winnipeg and you don’t have the authority,” he responded.
Vogiatzakis, whose primary residence is in St. Andrews, has said he will live in Winnipeg full-time, if elected.
Gillingham said data shows crime rates are going down but it’s critical to ensure Winnipeggers actually feel safe.
“I, too, have committed to adding more police officers. We have added more police officers in my term of office,” he said.
The incumbent said he would seek city council approval to gradually increase the number of police officers to about 196 per 100,000 population, up from about 170 currently. That target would raise the number of police from about 1,443 to 1,666.
He also plans to add a fourth emergency response team to handle mental health calls to free up more time for officers.
Vogiatzakis said his pledge to create a three-year “cadet-to-career” apprenticeship program would help boost the response to property crimes and train staff who could fill future police positions.
joyanne.pursaga@winnipegfreepress.com
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Joyanne is city hall reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press. A reporter since 2004, she began covering politics exclusively in 2012, writing on city hall and the Manitoba Legislature for the Winnipeg Sun before joining the Free Press in early 2020. Read more about Joyanne.
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