Winnipeggers in support of police drug crackdown, survey suggests

When Howard Warren saw a person passed out on the steps of his North Point Douglas home last month it didn't come as a surprise.

While rules on where encampments can and can't be have helped, he says drug use persists in the area with the attendant crime.

It's part of why he supports the Winnipeg Police Service in its efforts to crack down on open drug use in Manitoba's capital.

"I do think something needed to be done," Warren said. "Without cracking down on open use of drugs in public — it's gone way too far."

Efforts to clamp down on open drug use and drug dealing have ramped up in Winnipeg.

Police ran a 10-day drug crackdown from late June to early July, making more than 100 arrests, including 93 related to outstanding warrants or breaches, five for possession of a scheduled substance and three for possession of a scheduled substance for the purpose of trafficking.

Seven people were also taken to the 72-hour detox centre.

In a survey done by Abacus Data for CBC News ahead of the Oct. 28 civic election, 70 per cent of respondents said they supported the police service's initial 10-day crackdown.

Six hundred and eighty seven adults took part in the online survey. A margin of error can't be calculated for the results because it was an online survey, but a comparable random survey would have a margin of error of 3.74 per cent, 19 times out of 20

"It's a huge drug problem in this area," said Bruce Begal, who works at the Point Douglas Autobody shop.

Bruce Begal says cars arriving at Point Douglas Auto Body often reflect damage done by thieves likely trying to pay for their drug habit. (Justin Fraser/CBC)

"To support their drug habit, naturally they're going to find stuff in cars. I mean, they steal radios, they try to steal the cars, anything they find," he said.

Begal says he also supports police in their efforts to clamp down on open drug use.

"Across the street you can see them basically doing the drugs … it's up and down the street. On any given day you see 10, 15 of them for sure," he said. "I see people riding up and down the street on bikes delivering drugs. They just do stuff openly."

A University Manitoba criminology and sociology professor says the data might allude to underlying issues.

"I think this is the byproduct of a loss of faith in the municipal government and city hall, and more broadly the provincial government to these systemic issues," said Tandeep Sidhu.

Because of that frustration or lack of faith, people who are using drugs can become "the proxy for this anger."

'Great collaboration' seen in revamped drug sweep

In the Abacus survey, 57 per cent of respondents said they want to see increased access to treatment along with enforcement.

"I think if the police are teaming up with people who are able to offer addicted people some other choice other than to continue using, I think that's the approach we need to take," Warren said.

"We need to get the drugs off the street from bigger dealers and, again, offer folks some alternative."

After the initial 10-day crackdown, Winnipeg police resumed the drug enforcement initiative in August, but this time with community outreach teams.

Police said after community consultations, they would be taking an outreach first-approach and liaise with a dedicated community co-ordinator from Ka Ni Kanichihk and improve collaboration.

Executive director Jackie Anderson told CBC News a joint release with police and organizations that are part of a coalition that worked with the service ahead of the revamped drug sweep would be coming soon.

The Winnipeg Police Service had also declined an interview but provided CBC News with a prepared statement.

However, Winnipeg police Chief Gene Bowers answered questions about the drug sweep at an unrelated event over this past weekend.

"That collaboration with the different organizations has been truly remarkable," Bowers said. "We're seeing great collaboration.

"We are going to be coming out with some statistics on it, but from the human perspective it's been something that's very positive between our members and the community workers and the people that they're serving out there."

Winnipeg police Chief Gene Bowers says there has been great collaboration since the drug crackdown resumed. (Justin Fraser/CBC)

Michael Weinrath, a professor emeritus of criminal justice at the University of Winnipeg, also suggested the city undertake its own survey of community members or business owners for their thoughts on the crackdown.

"It'd be nice to see the city act on that sort of feedback," he said.

Businesses hope for permanent solutions

The continued enforcement is taking place in five different zones, and the initiative will be re-assessed in November.

Mitch Rouire is general manager of Select Start, an arcade bar and restaurant in the Exchange District, which is one of the zones where enhanced enforcement continues.

Rouire says he supports the crackdown, but only as long as police are working with outreach groups to help people.

"As great as crackdowns are, if there aren't the social and support services behind it to support those endeavours, it doesn't really accomplish anything."

Mitch Rouire, general manager of Select Start, an arcade restaurant and bar in the Exchange District where enhanced enforcement continues, says he supports the crackdown, but only as long as police are working with outreach groups to help people. (Prabhjot Singh Lotey/CBC)

At Eliminator RC on Higgins Avenue, Ryan Gobeil wants to be optimistic and with a civic election coming up, he's hoping for change in the way the city addresses its drug crisis.

"It seems like it's a thing that's happening Canada-wide, and I would like Winnipeg to jump on it because I feel like it's definitely worse here," he said.