The role of a police officer has changed a great deal over the past number of years. They are asked to be crime fighters, mediators, traffic monitors and educators…often all in the same shift!
We ask a great deal of our local police officers. In smaller communities where police are often personally known by residents, because they are our neighbors or our kid’s coaches, it can sometimes be an especially difficult balance to achieve.
We are fortunate in the southeast to have tremendous men and women as part of our local police forces. They are interested in not only policing the communities but in being a part of those communities. Many of them offer their time to take part in special events in the area. Some have taken special training and go into our schools to help educate our kids about the dangers of drugs.
One of the most impressive things about the officers in this region is that even though they may be responsible for policing different areas, they work together wherever possible to take on crime throughout the southeast. This was emphasized earlier this month when I met with Steinbach RCMP Staff Sergeant Davy Lee and Ste. Anne Chief of Police Marc Robichaud. Manitoba P.C. Leader Hugh McFadyen and City Councilor Michael Zwaagstra also came to meet and to hear about the challenges that police in our region face.
The southeast is a growing region and while that growth brings many positive aspects, for police, it also brings a natural increase in the number of calls for service they get and an increase in the number of crimes that take more investigative time. Those concerns were expressed by local law enforcement officials and there is a need for more provincial support for the efforts of law enforcement in this region and other parts of the province.
Both P.C. Leader Hugh McFadyen and I were impressed by the level of co-operation that exists between our local law enforcement. Steinbach RCMP officers work well with their rural counterparts and they in turn work together with officers from Ste. Anne to help solve crime in the region. Criminals don’t work within borders and it’s encouraging to see our police work together and recognize this reality.
The men and women of our local police force work hard to do a very difficult and diverse job. Policing is a human endeavor, so we cannot expect our officers to do everything perfectly or without question. But from my experience observing our officers and meeting with them, each and every day they do their best to keep our community safe and to fulfill the many roles and responsibilities that our society has entrusted them with.
Hats off to the officers in our region! We appreciate the job you do.
