Winnipeg mayoral candidate Don Woodstock is promising to add at least 100 new police officers to the Winnipeg Police Service if elected, making public safety a central part of his campaign platform ahead of the October municipal election.
Woodstock, a former Winnipeg Transit operator and security business owner, has made additional staffing and public safety a recurring theme of his mayoral campaign. His campaign says he wants to strengthen emergency services and address concerns about crime and safety across Winnipeg.
The proposal comes as several candidates in the Winnipeg mayoral race have unveiled plans focused on policing, transit safety and emergency-response capacity.
Former city councillor Kevin Klein, for example, has separately promised to hire between 100 and 110 additional police officers if elected. Klein has also proposed a public-safety task force and panic buttons on Winnipeg Transit buses.
Incumbent Mayor Scott Gillingham has also proposed increasing Winnipeg’s police and firefighter staffing levels through longer-term targets tied to population growth. His plan would gradually move staffing toward 2016 per-capita levels rather than relying on a rapid increase in hiring.
Woodstock’s broader public-safety proposals include increasing staffing for other emergency services. Earlier in September, he pledged to hire 100 additional firefighters and 50 paramedics over two years, arguing that increased staffing would help reduce reliance on overtime. The United Fire Fighters of Winnipeg, however, has estimated that hiring 100 additional firefighters alone would cost about $13.3 million annually, highlighting questions about the financial implications of the proposal.
Woodstock has also previously proposed placing plainclothes police officers on selected Winnipeg Transit routes to address safety concerns.
The 2026 Winnipeg mayoral race has attracted a dozen candidates who completed the nomination process, with Election Day set for October 28.
As the campaign continues, public safety and the city’s ability to properly staff police, firefighters and paramedics are emerging as significant issues for Winnipeg voters.
Swifteradio.com
