While some Manitobans have been forced from their jobs during the coronavirus crisis, police officers in our province have remained busy.
In the past 10 days, the Winnipeg Police Service has dealt with several instances of violent crime. While many would figure the pandemic should result in a drop in crime, University of Winnipeg criminal justice professor Michael Weinrath says it’s actually having the opposite effect. “For people with mental health challenges, being home and isolated can be very difficult, and I think those factors may have contributed to some of those crimes.” Weinrath says the city is in a “cycle” of violent crime, largely due to the still-growing use of methamphetamine.