Police, addictions foundation join forces in street-drug battle

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This article was published 23/05/2018 (2161 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Winnipeg Police Service and the Addictions Foundation of Manitoba are doubling down on collaborative efforts to address Winnipeg’s street-drug problem.

“In order for us to combat this crisis, we must collectively mobilize resources, engage with our communities and collaborate with partner agencies in order to build a safer, stronger and healthier community,” said Insp. Max Waddell, commander of the WPS organized crime unit. He noted methamphetamine and opioids continue to emerge as safety threats in the city.

The new drug enforcement unit — a squadron of seven officers established about a month ago — made its first major busts last weekend.

On Thursday, the WPS showed off the items it seized from two homes, one in East St. Paul and one in the Lord Roberts area. They included one kilogram of cocaine (valued at $60,000), 2,500 rocks of crack cocaine (valued at $62,500) and six kilograms of marijuana (valued at $26,000).

Waddell said the new unit will be focused solely on “detection, disruption and dismantling” of the drug trade in Winnipeg.

All of the officers on the force will be trained in basic intervention skills to assist people with drug addictions in getting help, he added. Officers have started offering Manitoba Helpline information cards to people they meet who express interest.

AFM medical director Dr. Ginette Poulin said there’s much more work to be done.

“Despite these goodwill efforts, we see the societal need is outmatched and we believe that relationships can be strengthened to enhance the sources, increase education and tools and improve pathways of earlier intervention and move people towards the appropriate care for their addictions and mental-health issues while reducing unnecessary interactions with the criminal system and emergency systems,” she said.

There’s still a great need for treatment facilities to help those with addictions get out of “this vicious cycle that is certainly bogging down our police services, as well as our emergency services,” Poulin said.

Mayor Brian Bowman applauded the joint police-AFM effort.

“Enforcement alone isn’t going to address all of our challenges. No city can expect a police department to single-handedly enforce its way out of the challenge of illegal drugs. Educating people before they use illegal drugs and intervening with those currently using are just as important and are also two key pillars of the illicit drug strategy,” Bowman said.

The mayor compared the battle against opioids and methamphetamine to other difficult issues Winnipeg has grappled with in the past.

“I do know, however, that when faced with what seems to be an impossible challenge, our community knows how to respond. In the early 2000s, when arson and auto theft plagued our city, we came together to knock both back. We know how to get it done and we know that getting it done means working together,” he said.

jessica.botelho@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @_jessbu