"...in the jockeying of special interests, the police union has launched a salvo, warning that the strategy to beef up the battle against gangs will be a wash unless another 25 officers are assigned to the organized crime unit. ...
Hiring another 25 officers -- a number that was chosen as an opening negotiating bid, no doubt -- would cost millions of dollars; raiding other policing priorities would leave others exposed, in all likelihood the general patrol duty officers who respond to daily calls for service...
The number of officers on the city's payroll can be defended by Winnipeg's relative crime rate, but only to a point. Both Edmonton and Vancouver, for example, have higher crime rates but considerably fewer cops."
President of the union, Mike Sutherland, challenged the basis of that claim:
Dear Ms. Goodhand,
In regards to today’s (September 22, 2009) editorial (attached), “Time to police specialization” I have significant concern in regards to your portrayal of Winnipeg’s crime climate and in particular with regards to the following claim;
“Both Edmonton and Vancouver , for example, have higher crime rates but considerably fewer cops.”
Upon examination of the most recent information disseminated by Statistics Canada as of July 21st 2009, Winnipeg , in comparison with other cities of population over 500,000, leads the nation in total crime severity. The gap is even greater in terms of the violent crime severity index, as we surpass Edmonton by over 31 points and Vancouver by more than 36 points. (Stats Can “Police Reported Crime Statistics – July 21st 2009).
In its July 2009 report Stats Can also states;
“ Manitoba reported a rate of 4.5 homicides per 100,000 population, the highest among the provinces.”
“Crime severity was highest in Regina , followed by Abbotsford-Mission, Saskatoon , Kelowna , Winnipeg , Edmonton and Vancouver .”
“Homicide rates were highest in the western CMAs of Abbotsford-Mission (4.7), Winnipeg (4.1), Regina (3.8)….”
Consider as well that Winnipeg started 2009 with 6 homicides in January. As the year thus far has been characterized by numerous serious assaults, stabbings and shootings, we do not anticipate our situation to significantly improve without tangible measures to address the problem. Winnipeg has perennially been, and continues to be, at the top of many crime categories.
In terms of specialized units, which the article references, Winnipeg’s auto theft strategy, which is composed of a specific WPS auto theft suppression unit, contributed to a 44% reduction in vehicle thefts, although there is still work to be done as we continue to lead the nation in that category.
Although Winnipeg may have slightly more officers per capita than many other large Canadian cities, Winnipeg ’s increase in officers from 1998 to 2008 was the lowest of all major Canadian cities (1.3%) as compared to Calgary (13.1%), Edmonton (5.6%) and Montreal (7.2%). (Police Resources in Canada 2008 – Stats Can).
To be candid I am currently unaware of any information at all that supports your newspaper’s portrayal of Winnipeg ’s crime rate as less than that of Edmonton or Vancouver . I find it disturbing that such a claim would be made as it is in direct contravention not only to the daily experiences of Winnipeggers and their police officers, but is also refuted by the most current crime data available.
I invite you to please elucidate on the statement printed in the editorial such that we can examine whatever evidence was relied upon to convey this impression to Winnipeggers. In the absence of such, one can only wonder what would cause your agency to communicate information of questionable veracity that minimizes our crime problem and potentially misleads the public in terms of our true crime picture.
I invite you to peruse the current information at the following websites;
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/85-002-x/2009003/article/10902-eng.pdf
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/090721/dq090721a-eng.htm
Making statements based upon questionable evidence, to justify certain viewpoints, hampers sincere efforts to constructively tackle crime problems. I would ask you seriously consider the merits of some of the claims made in the editorial.
Mike Sutherland
President
Winnipeg Police Association
FP editor Margo Goodhand replied:
Dear Mr. Sutherland:
Thank you for contacting us.
I just spoke with the editorial board. We corrected the error on crime stats earlier today online. It was a mistake we should not have made, and it will be corrected in tomorrow’s paper as well.
The basic tenet of today’s editorial, however, remains the same.
The Free Press believes that the city should first look at the possibility of redeploying its current complement of officers before deciding to hire more. This city has more officers per capita than any other community of 500,000 or more, except for Montreal.
Again, thank you for bringing this error to our attention.
Regards,
Margo Goodhand
Editor
Winnipeg Free Press
Her email was copied to a large group of media, including TGCTS, that Sutherland had cc'd on his challenge to Goodhand to prove their claim about local crime rates.
We took note of a couple of unresolved aspects in this matter and sent Margo an invitation:
Re: today's editorial -Sept 22nd 2009 time to police specialization
Dear Ms. Goodhand,
I would like to invite you to appear on the Great Canadian Talk Show tomorrow between 4 - 5.30 PM, at your convenience, to allow your newspaper to defend the editorial and to explain how such a basic error in fact-checking was allowed to make it to print.
I trust you will take advantage of this opportunity to correct the record to a broader audience than reads your "Our Mistake" notices on page 2, and to elaborate on your suggestion of examining staff redeployment. I note that the editorial did not make clear if you favor a review of the necessity for 14 staff sergeants, 19 inspectors and 3 superintendents, rather than officers on the beat.
Thank you,
Marty Gold
And to our surprise, we actually got a response:
Dear Mr. Gold:Thank you for the invitation to go on the Great Canadian Talk show to discuss these issues.
Unfortunately, I don’t have the time tomorrow to join you on air.
Best wishes with the show,
Margo
(Indeed. Raise a Reader Day is soooo important. Anyways...)
Goodhands' claim of printing a "correction", was a model of modern MSM hubris.
Although entitled "Our Mistake", it could have been slugged under "But we were almost right":
Vancouver and Edmonton have slightly lower crime rates than Winnipeg. Incorrect information appeared in an editorial Tuesday.
Free Press readers questioned the true motive for couching the "correction" in murky terms:
Posted by:ohreally
September 23, 2009 at 9:21 AM
Please define "slightly". Isn't this a newspaper? Please explain how much lower the crime rates are. How incorrect was the information? Does it change the point of the original article? Does it render the piece moot? I would like to know how different the crime rates are. What is the point of a one line correction if it doesn't explain the discrepancies? Does the Free Press think that this statement clears up the incorrect information?
Posted by:statusquo
September 23, 2009 at 11:59 AM
Almost reads spiteful in a way. What does slightly have to do with it? They're either lower or they're not.
Posted by:MaC
September 23, 2009 at 3:44 PM
Agreed. Slightly immature response I should think. Kind of like a petulant child who is corrected on his mistake and replies "yah, I guess I was wrong, but only a little wrong". I would have appreciated (and respected) a more direct admission. Something along the lines of "we were wrong", not "we were slightly wrong". Reporters/columnists are human after all, subject to making mistakes like everyone else. Having said that, personal responsibility and growth starts with constant self-assessment and the subsequent, albeit difficult, unconditional/unqualified acknowledgement of one's shortcomings. My two cents.
Today at 5 PM, Mike Sutherland will appear in studio to reply to the "correction" and explanation of Margo Goodhand, and to explain why his group has endorsed Andrew Swan to succeed Gary Doer as Premier of Manitoba.
Also, at 4.40 today, the outgoing weather specialist for Global-TV, Andrea Slobodian, will tell us all about her upcoming future in forecasting chinooks for her new Calgary audience.
And, another Aurtarlia mention on the Free Press website! TGCTS starts at 4 PM, on 92.9 Kick-FM.
