Winnipeg Police Headquarters | Graham Ave. - Page 15

bomberjet · #**281** Posted **Jan 12, 2018, 6:24 PM**

Unions... Like I said, they are the police!!! Who else will protect them?!?

Is downtown really that unsafe? What are the crime rates compared to the rest of Winnipeg? I'd be really curious. I'll bet the north end, west end, etc are more violent than downtown. Yet a whole City lives there.

esquire · #**282** Posted **Jan 12, 2018, 6:26 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by rrskylar

Bowman and the "lets all move downtown" proponents keep telling us how much safer it is downtown now and yet trained police officers fear walking to their parked vehicles around the public safety building, either it's union ploy for some subsidized parking or downtown really isn't safe (which is probably true).

Downtown at noon on a weekday is about as safe as one could reasonably expect. But at 2 am when you've just finished a shift locking up bad dudes, I have to admit I'd be a little nervous myself walking to a car parked out on the street a block away. Some provision of secure parking is not unreasonable.

Maybe the library parking idea isn't a bad one? From what I recall when I worked in that area, a lot of office workers had monthly spaces there. I guess you could cordon off one level and reserve it for cops. But the problem is that you could just as easily see it become a perk for higher ups and the joe blow street cops are still going to be out in the cold, literally.

That said, a new parkade would be a better solution.

bomberjet · #**283** Posted **Jan 12, 2018, 6:29 PM**

^Even then, this isn't an issue of police being targeted specifically, which does happen. This is a general safety thing. So the police set a precedent where they need secure parking because of general safety concerns.

So what about me in my office working late? I'm no different than the police. So should the City fund a secure parkade for me because downtown isn't safe? Hell no.. 70k people come downtown everyday and there really are minimal issues.

If they feel unsafe, have a uniformed officer walk them to the car. That's what we're told. If you feel unsafe, call downtown watch and they'll escort you.

drew · #**284** Posted **Jan 12, 2018, 6:47 PM**

Is there currently anything stopping the officers from paying to park at the Library or under 360 Main? Both those lots are connected thru the skywalk?

Otherwise, my thoughts are:

You have a job. Your office is downtown. You might work odd hours or shift work. You are an adult and can make choices. Get off your wallet and pay for parking. Or perhaps choose a different line of work if as a police officer, the mean streets of downtown are too much for you.

rrskylar · #**285** Posted **Jan 12, 2018, 6:59 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by drew

Is there currently anything stopping the officers from paying to park at the Library or under 360 Main? Both those lots are connected thru the skywalk?

Otherwise, my thoughts are:

You have a job. Your office is downtown. You might work odd hours or shift work. You are an adult and can make choices. Get off your wallet and pay for parking. Or perhaps choose a different line of work if as a police officer, the mean streets of downtown are too much for you.

^

The sense of entitlement and country club culture that both the WPS and WFPS has gone on far too long!

Lots of BS from WPS about how dangerous their jobs are, not enough pay etc. yada, yada, yada and yet a lot of police and former police members all have their kids and nieces and nephews now working as WPS members. Ask any cop what their connection is and you'll find just about all of them with a relative as a former WPS officer.

It's actually a lot sketchier around HSC where nurses and other hospital staff are coming and leaving on a 24 hr. cycle, the WPS needs to either put up or shut up!

esquire · #**286** Posted **Jan 12, 2018, 7:29 PM**

^ Ha. Fair enough. You guys have convinced me. Constable Joe Blow should be able to afford a monthly spot on his $120K salary.

drew · #**287** Posted **Jan 12, 2018, 7:57 PM**

^ precisely.

CoryB · #**288** Posted **Jan 12, 2018, 9:27 PM**

For me it isn't about if the WPS staff can afford parking or if they should have secure parking but rather their core purpose is safety and security of the whole city. If there is an issues with safety downtown for their members there is a larger safety issue downtown which would fall directly on their organization to be addressing. Giving WPS staff preferential treatment in terms of person safety v the general citizens feels like it is a wrong move to be making. Granted, there is a higher need on an employer to ensure the safety of their employees but if say MPI or Hydro were having issues with employee safety downtown there would be calls for WPS to step up action downtown to improve that situation too.

headhorse · #**289** Posted **Jan 12, 2018, 9:33 PM**

the cops are constantly victimizing themselves.. for how much money we give them and pay them, why have crime rates barely changed? policing continues to take up more and more of the budget but crime isn't decreasing at the same rate. maybe police aren't actual there to keep "crime" down...

cllew · #**290** Posted **Jan 12, 2018, 9:51 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by drew

Is there currently anything stopping the officers from paying to park at the Library or under 360 Main? Both those lots are connected thru the skywalk?

Walkway is closed from 00:30 to 07:00 daily (as each bldg owner locks up their sections the hours can vary by a bit) but I think the WPS has swipe card access thru to the library during that time to get the elevator to the parking levels.

cllew · #**291** Posted **Jan 12, 2018, 10:10 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by CoryB

For me it isn't about if the WPS staff can afford parking or if they should have secure parking but rather their core purpose is safety and security of the whole city. If there is an issues with safety downtown for their members there is a larger safety issue downtown which would fall directly on their organization to be addressing. Giving WPS staff preferential treatment in terms of person safety v the general citizens feels like it is a wrong move to be making. Granted, there is a higher need on an employer to ensure the safety of their employees but if say MPI or Hydro were having issues with employee safety downtown there would be calls for WPS to step up action downtown to improve that situation too.

Not sure about Hydro but the MPI call center closes about 19:00 weeknights so they are out by 19:30 and they are offered Downtown Watch to walk them to their car if they don't park in City Place.

And I think that City Place security may escort them to either of the City Place external lots if they have a guard available.

CoryB · #**292** Posted **Jan 12, 2018, 10:27 PM**

My point isn't so much staff working late as it is about the role of WPS in the overall security of the city, regardless of the place, time of day, or who it is that is feeling unsafe.

The Unknown Poster · #**293** Posted **Jan 15, 2018, 5:51 PM**

It seems strange to me. The idea that someone would do the intell and effort involved in targeting a police officer in plain clothes on his way to his car after a shift doesnt seem reasonable.

More likely these incidents are not targeting police specifically but the victims of these muggings or whatever happen to be off-duty cops.

In which case, if even cops cant walk to their car at night without fearing for their safety, it speaks to a larger problem. Imagine how a regular person feels.

rkspec · #**294** Posted **Jan 15, 2018, 6:50 PM**

my guess is they are targeting of duty cops

many criminals (and cops to criminals) recognize faces fairly easily.

Bluenote · #**295** Posted **Jan 16, 2018, 1:30 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by rkspec

my guess is they are targeting of duty cops

many criminals (and cops to criminals) recognize faces fairly easily.

Amazing how they survived at their old digs. That parkade was closed down a decade ago and they all had to park on the city streets. They all survived.
And of someone wants to get an off duty cop that much. Then I’m sure they would just follow them home. But I’m sure we will have to pay for security at the home soon also.

I’ve worked for a few cops and they are far from afraid. But they all live very posh lifestyles yet they cannot afford parking.

The Unknown Poster · #**296** Posted **Jan 16, 2018, 4:26 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by rkspec

my guess is they are targeting of duty cops

many criminals (and cops to criminals) recognize faces fairly easily.

So known criminals are waiting around outside the police HQ to mug a cop in plain clothes? I would think this would be a HUGE news story if true. Cops being specifically targeted.

Its not that, I dont think. If you or I get accosted at 2am downtown, we tell the perp to take a hike and we walk away. When its an off duty cop, he engages. That turns into a crime.

Sounds like Downtown isnt very safe at night, if cops are scared. We should do something about that.

rkspec · #**297** Posted **Jan 16, 2018, 4:42 PM**

If you read the story it sounds like its not random
https://globalnews.ca/news/3953767/l...e-association/
“Lugnuts have been removed from members’ vehicles, death threats written into the paint of cars, written into the dust on cars,” Sabourin told 680 CJOB’s Mackling and Megarry. “Even before we left the Public Safety Building there was numerous incidents of nails and screws being scattered around the building. I don’t think any other business has those types of situations arise.”

One off-duty officer was stabbed when he was leaving the building in early December while another member was confronted by a suspect who indicated he had a weapon this past weekend.

drew · #**298** Posted **Jan 16, 2018, 4:44 PM**

^ of course that is the way their Union would make it sound.

Unfortunately, I don't think the general public is going to feel too sympathetic to these concerns. Certainly not enough to foot the bill for subsidized parking or construction of a new lot somewhere.

Biff · #**299** Posted **Jan 16, 2018, 6:29 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by rkspec

One off-duty officer was stabbed when he was leaving the building in early December while another member was confronted by a suspect who indicated he had a weapon this past weekend.

This is why I said before - let them carry their weapons home. If someone comes at them with a knife or says they have a weapon, fuckin shoot them. I hate criminals and thugs.

bomberjet · #**300** Posted **Jan 16, 2018, 6:58 PM**

They mention Police is a business. It is a service. Not a business. Police are not there to make money (in theory).

The most recent incident was not targeted at police. They said it was random. But yes they do get targeted by the worst scum of the scum because they know that's where the police are.

What is are the rates police are being targeted vs the general public in the downtown? I bet its not more.

Also seems there is a common theme amongst posters that these are the Police. If there is a re-occurring safety issue, then maybe the Police should fix that.