New Winnipeg police robot, officer training for protests among programs receiving provincial dollars

A file image of the Winnipeg Police Service taken on Dec. 24, 2019. (Source: CTV News Winnipeg)

WINNIPEG -

The Winnipeg police are set to receive more than $611,000 through criminal forfeiture program—with a large chunk of the money going toward a new police robot that looks like a dog.

Manitoba Justice Minister Cameron Friesen, along with Winnipeg police Chief Danny Smyth, announced the new funding on Wednesday.

The money is coming from Criminal Property Forfeiture Fund, which takes criminal assets, liquidates them, and redirects the funds into projects and initiatives that protect Manitobans and enhance public safety.

A large chunk of this money—more than $257,000—will be going toward what the province described as 'a public-safety robot platform.'

"This robot will be used to reduce and ideally eliminate human jeopardy in high-risk, dangerous and complicated environments," Friesen said.

Smyth said police services have been using robots since the 1970s, but these robots were limited in mobility.

He said the police service will use the provincial funding for a new robot.

"What is unique about this—it kind of looks like a dog for starters, and it has mobility so that it can advance on an uneven terrain, it can go up stairs, it can carry things on a harness, it has photography," Smyth said.

"It really is just the next generation—an upgrade if you will, that provides our people with a great deal more mobility and being able to go into spaces that would be dangerous to either a live canine or to one of our officers."

Friesen said about $36,000 will be used for a certified training program developed by the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police on police response to mass demonstrations and assemblies.

Smyth said police officers are being trained to liaison with groups that are planning protests.

"It would be a lot of communication work, a lot of liaison—how to identify and meet with organizers and really just set the tone so everyone can do their thing peacefully," Smyth said.

The other programs receiving funding include:

• $80,250 for the 911 public education campaign;
• $31,823 for a cloud-based digital evidence management system;
• $5,496 for training financial crime investigators;
• $69,132 for equipment for first responders;
• $11,688 electronic equipment for the Internet Child Exploitation Unit;
• $11,207 for equipment for the Technical Surveillance Unit;
• $55,000 for Canadian Police College training;
• $13,607 for equipment for the Virtual Police Response Unit;
• $5,845 for video equipment; and
• $33,595 for the SNAP KIDTHINK program to assist youth in the community.