“We Need to Notify Public” - Winnipeg Police

WINNIPEG, MB: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) and WiseUp Winnipeg released emails from the Winnipeg Police Service today that stressed the “need” to notify the public prior to mobile photo radar on Grant Avenue west of Nathaniel and other new locations. The CTF and WiseUp Winnipeg are calling on the police to explain why a press release never went out – and violations did - by the thousands.

According to emails obtained through freedom of information (FOI), on October 5 Sgt. Mark Hodgson informed Const. Ray Howes: “We need a press release. We need to notify public when we do anything new, press release first.” “I smell a press release regarding school zones. I need to know when we are going to start enforcing and we need to do a press release prior to start of enforcement. Please do not start enforcement till you have drafted a press release and we have notified the PIO and a release is done. Please!!!!!!”

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During the short email exchange, Sgt. Hodgson stressed five times that a press release needed to go out prior to the start of photo enforcement at a number of new locations previously deemed “unenforceable.” Const. Howes and Sgt. Hodgson agreed on the “need” to inform the public about the "new" locations. However, the CTF and WiseUp Winnipeg received copies of a number of tickets from motorists dated the same day of the email stream – and earlier; when constable Howes indicated they were “conducting tests.” "We have found another smoking gun, another example of how the program is about money, not safety,” said CTF Prairie Director Colin Craig. “The emails show the city chose not to get traffic to slow down through better awareness. Instead, the city chose to hide a photo radar car on a side-road and mail people speeding tickets." "No communication to the public of a new tactic to enforce locations deemed unenforceable? Issuing violations that should not have been? How many more reasons are needed to shut down a rogue program that has not met most of its safety-mandate requirements in their agreement with the province," questioned Todd Dube, founder of WiseUpWinnipeg. "WiseUpWinnipeg demands that tickets from all three new off-the-road locations be refunded and for the program to be operated in keeping with its Conditions of Authority." Not only are the CTF and WiseUp Winnipeg disturbed about the decision to ignore the sergeant’s recommendation to alert the public through the media about the new locations, they continue to question the accuracy of the tickets issued at the Grant and Nathaniel location. Especially as other cities recommend against what the City of Winnipeg is doing - parking photo radar vehicles in locations where light standards, street signs and fire hydrants are between the camera and target – interfering with radar reflections and producing incorrect and unreliable readings.