Winnipeg police ‘toxic drug crisis’ project leads to more than 600 arrests

More than 600 people were arrested in a recent months-long Winnipeg police initiative that targeted the William Whyte and Point Douglas neighbourhoods.

The police effort was dubbed Project Revive by the Winnipeg Police Service (WPS), it said in a news release. The intensified enforcement occurred from May 15 to Sept. 30, and began in response to an unprecedented increase in crime that was tied to the “toxic drug crisis” in the communities.

“The increase in crime in both neighbourhoods is a direct fallout from the North American opioid crisis, which has transitioned into a toxic drug crisis here in Winnipeg,” WPS Insp. Elton Hall told reporters at a news conference Thursday evening.

“That affects every aspect of community wellbeing in the area. The visible consequences of open drug use and drug trafficking have contributed to the increase in homelessness, encampments and poverty-driven lifestyles in these neighourhoods.”

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As a result of the project, 423 arrests were made in the North District, in addition to 202 warrant-related arrests, Hall said. He added that arrests were made for major and minor crimes.

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Police did not say how many charges were laid or how many people are facing charges.

Project Revive also led to the execution of eight search warrants at homes deemed problematic by police, Hall said. The searches prompted the seizure of four loaded handguns, 10 shotguns and rifles, a large amount of ammunition, two bulletproof vests, a conducted energy weapon, eight-edged weapons and 13 replica firearms, according to police.

Additionally, around one kilogram of fentanyl and approximately one kilogram of cocaine were seized. The drugs were said to have estimated street values of $150,000 and $100,000 respectively. Thousands of pills, including oxycodone, were also seized, according to police.

An alleged break-and-enter network was disrupted as part of the project, Hall said. Approximately $45,000 cash and six $2,000 e-bikes were confiscated by police.

“This project ended at the end of September. Our enforcement has not,” he said, noting that police will not monitor statistics as vigilantly as they were when the project was in effect.

“We’re going to work with William Whyte and Point Douglas and see what else we can do for next spring.”

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Project Revive also sought to provide outreach to people who were struggling. This involved the work of several community partners, who offered people services and supports.

“Connecting vulnerable individuals with appropriate resources are important aspects of modern policing. These challenges cannot be addressed by law enforcement alone,” Hall said.

Twenty-four encampments were relocated across both neighbourhoods and 45 people were directly connected to community services, according to the inspector.

Foot patrollers and the crisis stabilization unit (CSU), a mental health program that offers short-term community-based care for people in psychiatric or psychosocial crisis, administered 124 doses of naloxone, an opioid overdose-reversing drug, from July 1 to Aug. 31, he added.

Darrell Warren, president of the William Whyte Neighbourhood Association, described what he has seen in his area recently as “positive results.”

“I just want to say to all the criminals that are doing these crimes: ‘You better find another address. Because I’m telling you this today, as a longtime resident, that what you do will not be tolerated here in the North End or the Point Douglas area,'” Warren said.

“If you don’t find yourself a new address somewhere else, I promise you your next address will be Headingley Correctional or (the) Stony Mountain (Institution).”