Manitoba police outing their Most Wanted on new website

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Winnipeg police and the RCMP are rolling out a Manitoba’s Most Wanted website in an effort to have the public assist in apprehending violent offenders.

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The website will put the spotlight on violent offenders and those wanted on outstanding arrest warrants which are being sought by the Manitoba Integrated Violent Offender Apprehension Unit.

“The bottom line, we know, is reaching out to the public through social media and any other means works. By centring the attention of Manitobans on these featured and wanted individuals, we are highlighting that it’s just not the police looking for them, but an entire province,” RCMP Insp. Shawn Pike said during a press conference at Winnipeg Police Service headquarters on Tuesday.

“With the launch today of Manitoba’s Most Wanted, we are telling these wanted individuals that their days of hiding in the shadows are coming to an end.”

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Pike said Manitoba RCMP has had success with Warrant Wednesdays on its social media pages, linking the program to the arrest of 43 wanted people in 2023.

He said they’ve had parents driving a child to one of its detachments to turn themselves in, and even a person walking into a detachment with its Facebook page on their phone, “asking to be arrested so that the post of them can be taken down.”

Guests including Justice Minister Matt Wiebe and Mayor Scott Gillingham also touted the success of the MIVOAU, which receives $3 million in annual funding from the province.

Established in May 2023, Insp. Jennifer McKinnon from the WPS said since its inception the unit — made up of six officers each from the WPS and Manitoba RCMP along with other professional staff — has arrested 480 violent offenders and executed 681 warrants.

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From that list, 86% of arrests were someone involved in bail, probation, or parole offences, and 27% were known to police as gang members or associates, she said.

“Offenders who find themselves on this list are responsible for homicides, aggravated assaults, firearms offences and crimes that, quite frankly, caused immeasurable suffering and hardship. And that’s how they’ve become the focus of this unit,” McKinnon said.

Winnipeg Crime Stoppers, along with provincial partners, are offering “enhanced rewards” for tips leading to arrests through mbmostwanted.ca.

Chair Rob MacKenzie said anonymous tips at 204-786-8477 or winnipegcrimestoppers.org have resulted in 65 apprehensions in 2024.

“We’re hoping with the public’s assistance that we can double or triple these numbers and get everyone on this list captured.”

kevin.king@kleinmedia.ca

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