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WINNIPEG — The Manitoba government is launching an electronic monitoring program to supervise those who have been charged with crimes and released on bail and may regulate the purchase of weapons like machetes in its efforts to crack down on petty and violent crime.
The province is to begin making 100 ankle monitors available next week, Justice Minister Matt Wiebe announced Wednesday.
“This will be an important tool available now to law enforcement and to those who are supervising bail to ensure that they are kept safe, and that ultimately our communities are safer,” he said.
The 24-7 system will use GPS to monitor an individual’s location in real-time. The devices use voice, audio and vibration commands to communicate with those wearing them, and can emit loud alerts if someone is in an area they’re prohibited from entering.
It will be up to judges to determine who is eligible to use the monitors as part of their bail conditions, said Wiebe.
It won’t be for those facing serious charges that don’t usually allow for bail, such as murder, aggravated assault or firearms offences. The same goes for individuals accused of intimate partner violence, but that may change after the province consults with experts.
Repeat offenders with charges related to retail theft will likely be able to be outfitted with a monitor.
“At the end of the day, I think what we’re looking at is repeat offenders who are continuously breaching their bail conditions and those chronic reoffenders — folks who, if these crimes are left unchecked, sometimes elevate to a more serious crimes,” said Wiebe.
Winnipeg police previously warned of a sharp rise in retail theft, sometimes involving violence, and has boosted officer presence in shopping areas. In May, the provincial government announced it would pay for police officers in Winnipeg to work overtime to target areas where retail theft was most rampant.
The reintroduction of the ankle monitoring program comes after it was cancelled in 2017. The then-Progressive Conservative government tossed the program after the Opposition NDP criticized the devices, saying they could be inaccurate or ineffective. The Tories promised to bring them back shortly before the party lost power in last year’s provincial election.
Wiebe cited advancements in technology for the NDP’s change of course.
The province is providing $2.9 million over two years to the program, with the option to continue if it is successful. The initial 100 devices will be available to use in Winnipeg, but another 100 could be used elsewhere.
The Opposition Progressive Conservatives said electronic monitoring is a necessary tool for law enforcement, but said it must extend beyond Winnipeg.
“Outside of our perimeter there is the rest of Manitoba that I think is feeling neglected, and this is just another example,” said Tory justice critic Wayne Balcaen.
One First Nations group took issue with the lack of consultation.
The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs said it recognizes the potential benefits of monitoring dangerous offenders and enhancing public safety but suggests there are significant implications for First Nations citizens who are disproportionately represented in the justice system.
“We know the multitude of reasons why people commit theft: poverty, addiction and lack of employment opportunities,” Grand Chief Cathy Merrick said in a release.
“Addressing these underlying issues should be the priority rather than expanding surveillance measures that risk further criminalizing our people.”
Wiebe also said the province is looking at restricting machetes following some recent violent attacks, including one on Saturday that left a male youth hospitalized with extensive injuries.
Wiebe wouldn’t say what the changes would be, but said the government is looking at the effectiveness of regulatory changes in the purchase of bear spray implemented last year. Those changes require customers to present photo ID and to specify what they intend to use the product for. Retailers are required to verify the customer’s identification and submit the information to the government.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 14, 2024.
Brittany Hobson, The Canadian Press