January 2, 2019

Winnipeg Police Service Media Release

For Immediate Release

2018 Festive Season Checkstop Program – Week 4 Results & Final Results

The Festive Season Checkstop program is on the road for 2018 and will run every day for the month of December, including New Year’s Eve. Motorists can expect to see more police officers on the streets of Winnipeg enforcing Impaired Driving legislation.

Impaired driving continues to be the #1 criminal cause of death in Canada, yet it is 100% preventable. The recent legalization of Cannabis has brought forward further concerns surrounding drug-impaired driving. It's important to know that driving while impaired by Cannabis, is a crime. In preparation for legalization, the Winnipeg Police Service increased the number of officers trained to detect and arrest drug-impaired drivers.

Our message is simple - if you're under the influence of alcohol or drugs, DON’T DRIVE.

Week 4 (Saturday, December 22 to Monday, January 1) results:

1952 cars stopped

84 Roadside breath tests administered resulting in 9 warns and 3 fail

12 Impaired driving related charges

1 Cannabis positive Oral Fluid Device test

41 Provincial Offence Act tickets were issued

Final Checkstop Results:

7667 cars stopped

424 Roadside breath test administered resulting in 40 WARNS & 8 FAILS

41 Impaired Driving related charges (including 2 Drug impaired driving charges)

4 Cannabis positive Oral Fluid Device tests

11 Other Criminal arrests

242 Provincial Offence Act tickets

Average age = 38 yrs

Youngest = 16 yrs

Oldest = 74 yrs

26 males / 15 females

Average Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) = 150 mg%

Highest BAC = 290 mg%

The 2018 Festive Checkstop program is made possible through our supporting partner, Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries.

Winnipeg Police Service 2018 Holiday Season Overview

The 2018 holiday season, as in other years, was an extremely busy period for the WPS. The following is a snapshot of the demands on our Service for the period of December 24, 2018 to January 1, 2019:

7,559 9-1-1 calls

3,412 non-emergency calls (total 10,971 calls for service)

Dec. 27 had the highest 9-1-1 call volume (995) with total calls at 1439

Dec. 28 had the busiest hour where between 2200 – 2300, 121 calls for service were received

Overall call type summary totals:

Domestic calls: 424

Wellbeing: 425

Shots: 12

Stab: 16

Gun: 24

Weapon: 48

B&E(total): 168

Homicides: 2

Total: 5064

Dec 24-25

Arrests: 21

Notable Incidents: Assault w/ Weapon, Arson x 2, Commercial Robbery, Fire x 2

Dec 25-26

Arrests: 14

Notable Incidents: Assault with Weapon x 2, Homicide, Attempt Murder, Strong-arm Robbery

Dec 26-27

Arrests: 29

Dec 27-28

Arrests: 36

Notable Incidents: Home Invasion, Assault Cause Bodily Harm, Strong-arm Robbery

Dec 28-29

Arrests: 17

Notable Incidents: Assault with Weapon

Dec 29-30

Arrests: 26

Notable Incidents: Aggravated Assault, Sexual Assault

Arrests: 30

Notable Incidents: Assault Peace Officer, 8 Weapons arrests (82 rounds of various ammunition)

Dec 30-31

Dec 31- Jan 1

Arrests: 51

Notable Incidents:

- Strong-arm robbery

- Commercial robbery x 2

- Assault Peace Officer x 6

- Assaults x 8

- Drug arrests (3 suspects; $1100 cash, $2000 methamphetamine)

- Weapons arrests x 5

- Assault Cause Bodily Harm

- Transit Driver finds a sawed-off rifle

- Home Invasion in the Shaughnessy Park neighbourhood (10:00 a.m.)

- Intoxicated male at a downtown hotel caused $10,000 in damage to a suite, threw a table out a 7 story window. Male assaulted police officer during arrest

- A series of escalating, violent and concerning calls for service were received at the same downtown hotel bar. Police encountered subjects with weapons, several fights, and an over-intoxicated & unruly crowd. At one point officers were surrounded and assaulted. This raised serious concern for overall public safety. Central District General Patrol Officers decided to issue an Emergency Closure Order of the bar. Over 20 police officers and cadets were involved.

- Michael Caribou arrested on a 2nd degree murder warrant in above melee.



Jan 1-2

Arrests: 43

Notable Incidents: Homicide (male shot, 400 block Nairn Ave)

MCU investigated a string of armed commercial robberies, 15 separate incidents throughout the city

Last Update: January 2, 2019