The provincial government is launching an electronic monitoring program for people accused of crimes who’ve been granted bail by the courts.
The program, which will see certain bailed suspects monitored 24/7 with GPS-equipped ankle bracelets, is set to be announced by Justice Minister Matt Wiebe on Wednesday.
The province has earmarked $2.9 million for the program over two years. The minister said the province might continue funding the program if it is successful.
The device the province selected uses voice, audio and vibration commands to communicate with the alleged offenders outfitted with them, as well as loud alerts if the person enters a location they’re barred from attending.
The device will be able to notify law enforcement of its location in real time.
It was not immediately clear Wednesday morning how alleged offenders will be selected for the program when being granted bail and how many devices the province has obtained.
The former Progressive Conservatives scrapped a previous ankle bracelet program in 2017, with then-justice minister Heather Stefanson calling the program in place at the time inaccurate and ineffective.
In May 2023, also under the Tories, then-justice minister Kelvin Goertzen announced the government was working on a new program for alleged offenders deemed a high risk to public safety, as well as a pilot program and more staff.
Goertzen said at the time that the decision to bring back an electronic monitoring program was based, in part, on improvements in technology.
The Tory minister said the province was set to begin a request for proposals process for the reinstated program.
It was not immediately clear Wednesday morning whether the program being put in place stems from the RFP process announced under the Tories or a new process undertaken by justice department officials upon direction from the NDP
The provincial government, under Wiebe, announced a series of new policies in February meant to address concerns over public safety when people accused of crimes are granted bail.
One of the measures includes a policy advising Crown attorneys to consider the impact on community safety in their presentations at bail hearings, though some prosecutors at the time said the directive was nothing new.
The February plan included $3 million in funding for the Winnipeg Police Service to hire 12 new officer positions in 2024-25 to track down those who violate bail conditions.
Those positions are in addition to the 12 WPS and RCMP officers who formed the Manitoba integrated violent offender apprehension unit announced in 2022, the minister said at the time.
A further $514,000 was earmarked to expand data and intelligence sharing across jurisdictions and police agencies.
Five new bail workers were set to be hired to provide intensive supervision and expand mental health and addictions supports to ensure “chronic offenders” on bail adhere to their conditions, at a cost of $500,000, the province said in February.
erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca
Erik Pindera
Reporter
Erik Pindera is a reporter for the Free Press, mostly focusing on crime and justice. The born-and-bred Winnipegger attended Red River College Polytechnic, wrote for the community newspaper in Kenora, Ont. and reported on television and radio in Winnipeg before joining the Free Press in 2020. Read more about Erik.
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