Monday of increased police presence bring a sense of relief to some Winnipeg business owners

Some owners of enterprises in Winnipeg in areas identified as thorough retail points say that they feel a renewed sense of safety after months of police presence – but they have not noticed a promised jump during the holiday shopping season.

As part of an initiative called SAFOREHOP project, Winnipeg police Put more officer officers shopping for hot points Like malls and other retail centers on busy days in November and December.

The members of Foot Patrol – including 12 new – adapted to a provincial funding unit – spent about 670 hours in the village of Osborne, West End and the exchange district, the police said in a statement on Thursday who summarized the results of the initiative.

Police say that from the beginning of November until December 28, they have recovered nearly $ 57,000 in stolen goods and made 200 arrests, which led to 175 people.

The increased presence of the police in the holiday season was part of a wider and continuous initiative of the retail theft, which puts the officers in the hot crime points in the city.

province Originally announced a short -term plan in May last year To pay the police to work overtime at the hot points identified. Has allocated Another $ 1.16 million in a July extensionand then has expanded it again in Octoberbefore Creating permanent funding in November.

Shona Stewart, who leads the overflow – a boutique store in the village of Osborne – said that the extended police presence in the neighborhood, last summer, made a big difference for its business, which falls for a charity that works with victims of human trafficking.

“Some people stole a lot and only ran on the door with their hand and things,” she said. “We receive donated things, but nevertheless we will not earn money if all these clothes go out.”

She says she has not really seen an increase in the police number in the area throughout the holidays.

However, “we want to continue this if you can,” she said. –We feel more safe. ”

While provincial financing to cover over time For the patrol officers of the foot, as part of SAFESHOP, at the end of December, a police spokesman said that the initiative continues, the officers from various units continuing to maintain a visible presence in the community.

Twelve additional officers will also join the foot patrol unit in the coming months, the police said.

The reports on the stealing for sale and shopping in the village of Osborne have declined since the extended police patrols were introduced last summer, said Zohreh Gervais, director of the Osborne Village Village Business Zone.

“The village of Osborne is predominantly small local enterprises, and theft really affects them,” she said. “It’s not just to eat in the margins of a huge corporation … Try to stay in floating in very tried economic periods.”

While Gervais said he did not notice a leap in the number of foot patrols in the village of Osborne throughout the holidays, compared to the summer, their continuous presence in the area contributed to the construction of a police relationship, residents and enterprises – bringing a sense of security in the neighborhood.

“The police are not necessarily the solution for a lot of problems we deal with in this community,” but “everyone has to feel safe,” Gervais said.

“It really makes it difficult to prosper when people do not go as much.”

Police’s presence stimulating foot traffic

Greg Tonn, whose retail shop in music is in the Exchange district for almost 40 years, says that in the last holiday season, he has not seen too many changes in showlifting at his store, compared to previous years.

The number of patrols of the police foot along the holidays seemed to have been about what he saw last summer, he said.

Although it could be difficult to quantify how much the foot patrols helped to prevent theft, Tonn said that the added presence of the police since last year has contributed to bringing a sense of insurance to the area.

“The police will enter and take an occasional walk so that they can see them. They are observed,” he said. “It certainly makes us feel a little safer.”

David Pensato, the executive director of the District District business area, said that business owners in the basic neighborhood told them that they were feeling safer, and some said they had an impulse in the patrols in the holiday shopping season.

“The presence of the police really offers this tranquility, especially for visitors, and helps companies feel more confident, which is always good for the bottom line,” he said.

Pensato also said that it is difficult to quantify the effect of patrols on theft, but the companies told him that they see more visitors in exchange, because the patrols were expanded last year.

“When there are more people around, there are fewer incidents,” he said. “Anything that will continue to build that foot traffic in the area will contribute to safety.”