Winnipeg’s outgoing police chief is worried the new downtown headquarters could be spied on if a connected tower is sold.
$18 million of taxpayer money was used to buy the former Canada Post tower, attached to the police building. The city is in the process of leasing or selling the tower to recoup some of the costs, but Chief Devon Clunis is sounding the alarm over a potential sale to a third party.
In a June 2015 report, obtained by CTV, Clunis issues a warning to the chair of the Winnipeg Police Board, Coun. Scott Gillingham.
The memo states:
"Selling the tower will create significant risk…WPS members are vulnerable to counter surveillance...Card access and cameras installed by a private owner could be used for counter surveillance/intelligence."
The city sent CTV a written response, that the administration will:
"...carefully assess any proposal it receives for the tower at 266 Graham Avenue, and will do so in collaboration with the Winnipeg Police Service as a long-term tenant and shared user of the space with key security requirements."
The Winnipeg Police Service would not comment on our story.
