Manitoba directs $672K in seized crime cash toward police gear, training

The Manitoba government is spending some of the money seized from criminal cases on new equipment and training to help police fight crime.

The province announced Monday that $672,000 from theCriminal Property Forfeiture Fund will be spent on resources for the RCMP and Winnipeg police.

RCMP detachments across the province will get more than $352,000 toward projects such as a road safety video, thermal imaging cameras, updated body armour for 15 officers and five police dogs from its emergency response unit, and community projects in Cross Lake and Selkirk.

The Winnipeg Police Service will receive nearly $200,000 for a new laser scanning system to help reconstruct traffic crashes, according to the province.

It will get another $120,000 for officer training in specialized investigation fields such as internet child exploitation andfinancial crime.

Under the Criminal Property Forfeiture Act, money and assets that havebeen illegally obtained or used in illegal activity can be seized and deposited into the Criminal Property Forfeiture Fund.

The money is then redistributed through grants to law enforcement agencies, community organizations and victims of crime.

At least $12M forfeited to date

Since 2010, more than $12 million in assets connected to crime have been forfeited to the province.

The government says most of the proceeds seized under the lawcome from the drug trade and organized crime.

"This fund is a win-win for Manitoba communities and our police services," Justice Minister Gord Mackintosh said in a news release.

"Money is taken out of unlawful activities that damage our neighbourhoods, then reinvested through a grant process to do good instead. These specialized resources help keep officers safe, support increasingly complex and challenging investigations, and build relationships with the communities they serve."

Winnipeg police officials said moneyfrom the fundlast year allowed them to buy a robot for the bomb squad. In fact, they're looking for a name for their recent addition.

"We'll kick around some ideas and maybe try to involve the schools and some of the children in helping us name this little hobbit here," deputy chief Danny Smythtold reporters, with the robot in front of him.

"Right now he doesn't have a name; he's still pretty new to the service."

Conservation, finance officers also benefit

Provincial government officers will also get some money from the fund. About $65,000 will go toward buying five new sets of night-vision goggles that ManitobaConservation officers will use tocatch poachers.

"The ability to get night-vision devices, night-vision goggles, will definitely help our officers in their ability to combatthose type of illegal activities and make it easier for them to have successful prosecutions," said JackHarriganof Manitoba Conservation.

As well, Manitoba Finance's special investigation unit will receive more than $2,000 forcamera equipment to help investigate and shut downcontraband tobacco sellers.