Winnipeggers increasingly dissatisfied with police force, response time: survey
Posted March 20, 2024 2:34 pm.
Last Updated March 20, 2024 9:36 pm.
Masood Alam lost faith in Winnipeg police a long time ago.
The owner of MZ Computer Systems, which sells and repairs computers, says at times he’s called police for help at the Sargent Avenue store, only to be let down.
“When I tried to get help from them, I never got it,” Alam said.
He describes police response as “sometimes half an hour, sometimes never.”
“Last time, they said the police are too busy,” Alam added.
The business owner is hardly alone. More and more Winnipeggers find themselves “less satisfied” overall with police, according to a new survey conducted by the city.
Based on 600 responses, 54 per cent of respondents felt the quality of the Winnipeg Police Service was good or excellent. That’s the lowest proportion to date.
The survey found a quick response is what people care about most. But that’s where police scored lowest – only 39 per cent responded “good” or “excellent.”
CityNews requested an interview with Winnipeg police Chief Danny Smyth about the survey but did not immediately hear back.
Alam says he’s not the only one who claims WPS are slow to respond, saying he feels criminals have free rein.
“The criminals know it,” he said. “That you’re not going to get a response from them quickly, that’s why they’re like: ‘oh go, call the police.’ Sometimes they’re stealing right in front of me and I can’t do anything.”
Alam says he’s selling his shop due to safety concerns.
