RCMP asks for patience in missing women cases

The head of the RCMP in Manitoba is askingfor the public's understanding,patience and help in theinvestigation intocases involvingdozensof missing and murdered women.

In a rare moveThursday, Assistant Commissioner Bill Robinson released a public letter aboutanintegrated task force recently created to tackle the issue and the RCMP's response to criminal investigations.

The task force wasformed in late August. Itincludes three RCMP officers, two RCMP analysts and four officers from the Winnipeg Police Service.

Over the last two decades, 75 aboriginal women have gone missing in Manitoba, according to aboriginal groups.

"I recognize the frustration of families and loved ones of the victims of crime: being asked for continued patience, yet time continues to pass with little to comfort them," Robinson said.

"Our investigators take each one of these complex investigations very seriously. We use every available resource to explore every potential avenue for information, witnesses and evidence.

"Its not unusual to have 20or more police officers working on an investigation at any given time, especially when the trail is still warm and there are solid leads to follow. The manner in which resources are assigned and investigational avenues determined is guided only by the circumstances of each case and not by the victims background, heritage or lifestyle."

Robinson also said the RCMP is working with"colleagues working on similar task forces established in B.C. and Alberta, where these projects are developing 'best practices' that can be implemented in similar initiatives here in Manitoba."

He added thatsuccess in the investigations "will be dependent on our ongoing partnerships with community support groups, social agencies and other police departments in Manitoba and throughout Canada."