Politics · Canada · 3 hrs ago
Winnipeg mayoral candidates promise more police as election nears
Winnipeg mayoral candidates are promising to add police officers as the city’s civic election approaches.
Kevin Klein says Winnipeg is 100 officers short of a minimum he considers necessary, and Scott Gillingham also supports adding officers.
Another candidate, Mike Vogiatzakis, has proposed using drones to monitor the city and identify problem areas.
Police receive $370 million, or 27 per cent, of Winnipeg’s 2026 budget, which totals $1.49 billion.
University of Winnipeg criminologist Kevin Walby says Winnipeg already spends heavily on policing, but social problems have not declined.
Police spending across Canada rose 12 per cent between 2022–23 and 2024–25, reaching $22 billion.
Vogiatzakis says he would meet with the police board and chief within his first 30 days as mayor, while the Winnipeg Police Service declined to comment.
Winnipeg mayoral candidates are promising more police as the city’s civic election nears.
Kevin Klein said Winnipeg is 100 officers below what he called the minimum per-capita level, while Scott Gillingham also backed adding officers.
Mike Vogiatzakis said he would consider using drones to monitor the city and identify problem areas.
Criminologist Kevin Walby argued that increased policing and surveillance would not reduce social problems.
The Winnipeg Police Service receives $370 million, or 27 per cent, of the city’s 2026 budget.
- Who
- Mayoral candidates Kevin Klein, Scott Gillingham and Mike Vogiatzakis, and criminologist Kevin Walby.
- What
- Candidates have proposed adding police officers, and Vogiatzakis has proposed using drones for surveillance. Walby said these measures would not reduce social problems.
- When
- As Winnipeg’s civic election nears; the article was published October 27, 2026.
- Where
- Winnipeg, Manitoba.
- Why
- Candidates say the city needs more police. The sources do not state a specific reason for the proposed drone surveillance.
Mayoral candidates backing more policing
Criminologist Kevin Walby
Effect of more policing
Mayoral candidates backing more policing
Candidates Kevin Klein and Scott Gillingham said more officers are needed.
Criminologist Kevin Walby
Walby said increased police spending has not reduced social issues.
Surveillance
Mayoral candidates backing more policing
Vogiatzakis proposed using drones to watch over the city and identify problem areas.
Criminologist Kevin Walby
The article says experts argue that drones will not reduce social issues.
Police operating expenditures in Canada totaled $22 billion, up 12 per cent from 2022-23, according to Statistics Canada.
Winnipeg allocated $370 million, or 27 per cent of its budget, to the Winnipeg Police Service.
Global News published its report as the civic election neared.
- Winnipeg Police Service budget
- $370 million
- Share of city budget
- 27 per cent
- Winnipeg operating budget
- $1.49 billion
- Police staffing claim
- Kevin Klein said the city was 100 officers short of the minimum per-capita level
- Canadian policing operating expenditures
- $22 billion in 2024-25, up 12 per cent from 2022-23
What people are saying
When we put this percentage of our money into policing year after year after year, and we don’t see any reduction in any of those issues — in fact, visibly and statistically they are much worse. You have to start to wonder why are we doing that?
We are 100 police officers short of the very mere minimum of the per capita right now
We need police officers, we do, we’re both committed to adding more police officers
As mayor, I’m going to instruct the police board and the police chief