DSN Doing its Job

This week the value of the BIZ's Downtown Security Network (DSN) shined, demonstrating how our downtown members can take ownership of their neighborhood by working closer with Winnipeg Police when it comes to crime and safety.

On January 17, two incidents in downtown involving robbery and a weapon occurred and police issued a description of the suspects. An e-alert was then sent to the 170 members of the Downtown Security Network asking them to check their security camera tapes for the suspect.

The Convention Centre revealed they had caught the suspect on tape and the Downtown Watch were then shown the video. Later that evening, two Downtown Watch Ambassadors were patrolling the walkway system when they caught sight of the suspect. They followed him, alerting police who were waiting for the suspect when he we went outside.

These 170 downtown owners are talking to each other through the DSN. They share photos and videos, communicating about safety trends and coordinating their security staff and video cameras as part of a broad community-based approach to working with Winnipeg Police to make our downtown safer. This suspect has been one of several that have been caught this last year because the DSN and police are working closely together.

However, I am always torn when I hear the DSN has done its job or that our Watch Ambassadors have foiled yet another potential crime. We have put criminals on notice, and if someone commits a crime downtown, they will be caught. But the reality is that only 4-6 per cent of all the crime that happens in the city, happens downtown. It's not much when you consider that well over 100,000 people come and go from downtown everyday and 14,000 people make downtown their home. So promoting the success of the community working together to make the downtown safer, is always a double-edged sword. How can it be safe when the BIZ always says their programs are working and criminals are being caught?

What we hope the public hears is that despite the fact that crime statistics are actually fairly low downtown, we will remain vigilant in making it even safer. This is one of our top priorities. Unfortunately, this success feels empty because it means a 13-year-old boy was arrested--and the other involved in this crime are kids too.

There is no collective success kids are out bullying and robbing people. This could have happened anywhere, in any mall, on any street in the city--and it does.

The BIZ's safety programs are focused on enhancing safety while managing the social issues that are a part of our downtown. The programs have been effective and recognized for that across Canada.

But there is a deeper problem at work. Some of these kids are lost--spiritually and ethically. There are so many of them living throughout the city. These kids lack the love, support, discipline and guidance that come from having a strong family unit. What I've seen in my time downtown, is that there is a lot of intolerance and racism among these kids and it's all fuelled by rage.

We need to invest more dollars into social programs run by dedicated community leaders that truly understand what needs to be done to fix these problems. What we have isn't working. It's time for us all to work together beyond just the issue of committing crimes, it's time to work on finding a solution for something that runs much deeper.