WATCH: Bomb Robot demonstration
WINNIPEG — The Winnipeg Police Service showed off its bomb squad robot Monday, purchased by cash from last year’s Criminal Property Forfeiture Fund.
READ MORE: Blast rocks Winnipeg neighbourhood as police investigate bombing
This year, the Manitoba fund will provide $672,000 to the Winnipeg Police Service and Manitoba RCMP, Justice Minister Gord Mackintosh said Monday morning.
The cash comes from money and assets obtained through crime.
One of the police service’s most relied upon crime fighting tools was purchased using these funds and has been put through the ringer this summer.
The bomb unit’s robot set the WPS back $125,000 but has proved invaluable within the past few months. On July 3, Winnipeg lawyer Maria Mitousis was severely injured after a bomb detonated at a Fort Rouge law firm. In the coming days police responded to multiple bomb scares around the city using the robot.
“It’s been used quite a bit in the last several months,” said Berdesis. “It’s been put through its paces and we are very happy with it.”
“It’s got the latest in cameras, in night vision, it has an articulating claw, great range, great battery strength,” said Patrol Sergeant Ari Berdesis. “It gives us the capability at operating it at a great distance from us so we keep ourselves safe and the people safe in the area and vicinity.”
Officers outlined their spending plans this year. The WPS will receive $320,000, with $200.00 allotted to a new laser scanning system for traffic collision investigation. Another $120, 000 will go to specialized officer training such as:
- internet child exploitation
- missing youth investigations
- financial crime investigations
- tactical emergency medicine
- working in schools.
The RCMP will receive more than $352,000 to support community projects and promote road safety. Funded items include:
- updated body armour for 15 members and five police dogs
- a road safety video to reduce high risk driving behavior
- specialized equipment such as sound detectors, thermal-imaging cameras and hand-held radar units.
WATCH: Brittany Greenslade’s complete story:
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