Winnipeg auto theft strategy nets awards

A co-operative strategy heralded for dramatic cuts in Winnipeg's auto theft problem over the last five years has won two international policing awards.

In a joint statement issued Tuesday, the province, the Winnipeg Police Service and Manitoba Public Insurance said the Winnipeg Auto Theft Suppression Strategy (WATSS) has won honours from the International Association of Chiefs of Police.

Introduced in 2005, WATSS combines the efforts of police, probation officers, prosecutors and MPI to crack down on a subculture of city teens who habitually steal cars and drive them dangerously.

Another aspect of the program is a mandatory immobilizer initiative for vehicles deemed most at risk of being stolen.

From a policing point of view, the core of the program involves analyzing data regarding teens identified as the most chronic auto-theft offenders. Police found that when a hard-core group of these teens were in custody, the rate of auto theft dropped. By strictly monitoring these youths while out in public and enforcing any court order breaches, streets became safer.

Justice Minister Andrew Swan said the first honor WATSS was singled out for is dubbed the Webber Seavey Award for Quality in Law Enforcement.

The award is presented to three departments worldwide in recognition of efforts made by law enforcement agencies to improve the quality of life in local communities.

The second is a merit award from the chiefs' association specifically related to auto theft prevention and enforcement programs.

When WATSS began, Winnipeg had the highest auto-theft rate in North America. Since then, auto theft has declined by 70 per cent over 2005 levels, the province stated.

WATSS was also a finalist for a 2009 problem-oriented policing award, but didn't win.