At the end of Monday night's city council meeting, Mayor Tim Johnston, who was linked electronically to the meeting as he was on holidays out of town, discussed with council a letter he had sent to the provincial Justice Minister Dave Chomiak.
The polite but strongly-worded letter expresses Johnston's disappointment in the Department of Justice in dealing with the issue of public safety in the City of Thompson as well as throughout the North.
Johnston says city council reviewed the "Crime Severity Index rankings by municipal police services with an urban core over 10,000 population, 2008" where the City of Thompson ranked third in the overall Crime Severity Index and first in terms of violence.
In the letter Johnston cites the efforts of the City of Thompson to communicate with Chomiak's department on the issues of domestic violence, gangs and drugs and a request to assist in the hosting of a Northern assembly on drugs and gangs, and also mentions the apparent lack of response by Chomiak for issues outside of the City of Winnipeg.
Johnston also says that despite city council's offers to work with the province on new initiatives, Chomiak's department has not even communicated with them.
Johnston's letter goes on to outline the different initiatives and investments the City of Thompson has made towards public safety, including adding two constables and administrative support to the Thompson RCMP detachment, contracting Prairie Bylaw Enforcement Services at a cost of over $500,000 annually and creating a long-term commitment to public safety through the Municipal Revenue Act, which designates funds to a public safety reserve.
"As you are aware, the amount of funds within this reserve would have been significantly increased if the Government of Manitoba had approved our requested tax on alcohol - one of the most significant contributing factors to our social and public safety issues," Johnston wrote.
He closed the letter by expressing the City of Thompson's desire for a response from Chomiak which will include information about a new gang and drug initiative.
