Mayoral candidate Jenny Motkaluk said she will double the number police resource officers in schools if she is elected this fall.
Right now there are 17 school resource officers. Motkaluk said she would find the funds to bring that number to 34 by the end of her first term.
It would cost approximately $2.7 million dollars.
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“Almost everyone I spoke to volunteered that school resource officers was the single best investment that Winnipeg could make,” Motkaluk said.
Clunis supports idea
Standing by her side for Tuesday’s announcement was former police chief Devon Clunis.
Clunis said he’s not endorsing any one candidate, but their ideas.
“We always talk about fighting crime, fighting crime, fighting crime,” Clunis said. “If that was working we wouldn’t have to keep making the same announcements.”
“We need to get upstream. We need to start working on prevention. The most effective way we can work on prevention… is with young kids.”
Clunis said the issue in the past has been that ideas often die with each political cycle.
He also spent five years as a school resource officer and has fond memories.
“It was the most effective five years of my entire service,” Clunis said.
“I’ve seen the long term positive effects of individuals on our city and effects of the culture in our city.”
Motkaluk said the officers would also be available for other police duties in the summer, and while they may be based out of one school, they would be able to give presentations and visit with others.
Right now, the 17 officers serve in five Winnipeg school divisions at a cost of $2.39 million.
Motkaluk also announced she would create a $500K crime prevention initiatives fund which would support citizen patrol organizations, safety-by-design initiatives and other projects with objectives to prevent crime.
The mayoral election goes October 24.
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