CITY NEEDS MORE POLICE

Pols Say Cops Needed To Halt New Wave Of Crime

Winnipeg police will find their force severely short staffed and unable to
fight growing problems with identity theft, child pornography and the drug
trade if the city's budget doesn't ante up more cash, several councillors
charge.

Budget Increase

Critics of Mayor Glen Murray's latest spending blueprint say a proposed
$2.6-million budget increase for cops will leave the department unable to
bring in 25 officers it desperately needs to shore up several areas.

"Everything associated with the crack cocaine trade alone necessitates more
manpower," Coun. Garth Steek (River Heights-Fort Garry) said yesterday
after a closed-door meeting between politicians and police Chief Jack Ewatski.

Ewatski left the meeting without saying much to reporters, pointing out the
force's needs will be publicly tabled at another session next week.

Steek and Coun. Harvey Smith (Daniel McIntyre) said the top cop told them
he needs another two-dozen officers -- at a cost of at least $830,000 this
year -- to increase staffing after members have been moved to fill
shortfalls in monitoring "emerging crime" areas such as ID thefts and a
unit dealing with child exploitation.

Coun. Jenny Gerbasi (Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry) denied the chief is
predicting hard times, saying police can't "create a perfect Nirvana
without any crime" but do have enough funds.

"Some people want us to believe the sky is falling, and that's unfortunate
- -- because that scares people," Gerbasi said.

Smith argued that a small increase in property taxes could be in order to
make ends meet -- or budget cuts to Mayor Glen Murray's office and his
cabinet's secretariat.

'Added Bodies'

"We could cut down on the office of the mayor and the CAO," he added. "We
have the secretariat for the executive policy committee. These have added
bodies, and no one has mentioned it."

Murray wasn't at the meeting.