Multifaith Council, Police Board To Talk Safety

(Photo Credit: Sou/wester) (Christine Baronins, member of the Manitoba Multifaith Council, and Shauna Curtin, secretary for the Winnipeg Police Board)

This is going to be a very informative event, there is ample space at this beautiful church. Please feel welcome to bring many friends and neighbours. A special thank you to Christine Baronins and members of the Multi Faith Council for organizing and planning this event in South Winnipeg. I will also be in attendance and look forward to the conversations with Winnipeg Police Service Chief Danny Smyth and his staff.

Thank you to the Sou’wester for covering this story

Multifaith council, police board to talk safety

Upcoming community engagement event to discuss crime in communities

By: Danielle Da Silva Posted: 03/22/2019 2:36 PM

Against a backdrop of violence toward faith groups across the globe and personal safety concerns on the streets of Winnipeg, two local organizations are opening a dialogue on how neighbours can address crime in their communities.

The Manitoba Multifaith Council and the Winnipeg Police Board are hosting a community engagement event titled “A Path to Safety” on April 2 at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (45 Dalhousie Dr.).

“The Winnipeg Police board approached the Manitoba Multifaith Council to enlist ideas on how faith communities could help the Winnipeg Police address and improve safety within the city,” said Christine Baronins, a member of the MMC. “We embraced it. I think we felt that because of the different faith communities, there’s a lot of value and wealth of information and experience, and of course to the community at large… we recognize that faith communities can play a valuable role in helping our communities be safe.”

Speakers include Belle Jarniewski, president of the Manitoba Multifaith Council and a member of Winnipeg’s Jewish community; Leah Clifton, a person with lived experiences of homelessness; and Winnipeg Police Service chief Danny Smyth. Their presentations will be followed by roundtable discussions.

While the event is open to all people, whether a member of a religious community or not, Baronins acknowledged the deadly terrorist attack in Christchurch, New Zealand carried out against members of two mosques by a white-supremacist gunman will impact the discussion, but they’re also hoping to hear about specific local experiences, concerns and ideas.

“The theme, a path to safety, acknowledges that direction and planning are vital in addressing safety issues,” she said. “So with a plan, individual communities can feel empowered to create and support, and sustain a safer Winnipeg for all.

“Attendees should be prepared to learn from others and contribute to the discussion.”

Coun. Kevin Klein (Charleswood-Tuxedo-Westwood), the chair of the Winnipeg Police Board, said the community discussion will also help inform the board’s strategic plan for the next four years.

“We want to collect this information and be able to have discussions, and I think as you’ve seen with crime intensifying in some areas… we want to take a deeper look into the strategic plan,” he said.

Klein said the board is beginning to hear from the community with more frequency and hopes that continues. This event in particular is a chance for all people and faith groups to speak directly with the Winnipeg Police Board about the biggest safety challenges in their community.

“Public safety is important to everybody. It doesn’t matter what faith or culture you come from,” Klein said.

“We try to open up a dialogue so we can better understand their perception of what’s happening in the community.”

A Path to Safety is free to attend although registration is requested. The program begins at 7 p.m. and more information as well as registration is available at http://bit.ly/2Fqjl8a or eventbrite.ca