Winnipeg police getting more money to deal with firearm trafficking

The Winnipeg Police Service is receiving new money from the provincial government to put a dent into firearm trafficking.

Justice Minister Kelvin Goertzen announced more than $17,000 will be given to the Winnipeg Police Service to help deal with gun crimes in the city. The money will be used to purchase equipment for officers and give them training to allow them to better track and restore serial numbers of seized firearms.

During his announcement Goertzen said police services across Canada, including in Winnipeg, are seeing increased gun crimes, including trafficking.

“It is alarming, it is dangerous, it’s a trend that our frontline police officers are seeing, and they themselves are put at risk as part of this trend.” Goertzen said. “It’s a concern to bystanders; it’s a concern to civilians who could be at risk of stray gunfire.”

Firearms investigations in Winnipeg are completed by the Firearms Investigative Analysis Section (FIAS) of the Winnipeg Police Service. The unit examines seized guns and attempts to identify their sources by restoring destroyed serial numbers. Goertzen said four WPS officers recently received training from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to examine and restore destroyed serial numbers.

“Any firearm with its serial number obliterated is a crime gun, and is a trademark of a smuggled or trafficked firearm for a criminal purpose,” said Insp. Elton Hall with the WPS.

According to the province, FIAS seized 859 guns in 2021, up from 721 in 2020. Of the firearms seized in 2021, 89 firearms had their serial numbers restored.

So far this year, 455 crime guns have been seized in Winnipeg, with 79 serial numbers restored, Hall said.

He added restoring the serial number allows officers to track down where the firearms came from, to find out if it was stolen, or if it was used in other crimes.