Spruce Plains Detachment

Contact Information:
Box 549
Neepawa, MB
R0J 1H0
Ph: (204) 476-7340
Fax: (204) 476-7349

Location:
Spruce Plains Detachment area polices the areas north and south of Provincial Highway #16, from Woodside twelve kilometres east of Gladstone to nineteen kilometres east and one kilometer south of Newdale; a total of just over 3000 square kilometers. It includes eight rural municipalities, with Minnedosa detachment serving the Minto, Saskatchewan and Odanah RMs. Neepawa detachment serves Rosedale, Langford and Glenella RMs, while Gladstone detachment serves Lansdowne and Westbourne RMs. Within these RMs are numerous towns and villages and two hospitals with emergency wards, located in Neepawa and Minnedosa.

RCMP Detachment:
Spruce Plains is a consolidated unit comprised of three offices, with Neepawa serving as the host and community offices located in Minnedosa and Gladstone. The detachment consists of 15 Regular Members and five support staff, located as follows: one staff sergeant (District Commander), one sergeant (Operations NCO), one corporal, four constables and two municipal clerks in Neepawa; one corporal, four constables, one public service employee and one part time municipal clerk in Minnedosa; and three constables and one public service employee in Gladstone. The detachment maintains a fleet of six police cars, two trucks and two snow machines.

Restorative and alternative justice:

Nationwide, members of the RCMP are involved in alternative justice processes, whether volunteering as facilitators or sitting on steering committees. Each community may embrace a different form of restorative justice, be it community justice forums, circle sentencing, or mediation.

Restorative Measures/Justice Committee: Detachment members work with Probation Services to divert young offenders from the formal court process. This is done in both pre- and post-charge situations. Detachment members can refer clients directly to the justice committee. The provincial court also uses the local justice committee as an alternative to formal sentencing. A member from the detachment gives the committee input from law enforcement. Spruce Plains Community Justice Committee represents the areas between Minnedosa and Gladstone and South toward Carberry. The committee in the last four years has seen an upsurge in referrals. These referrals were in the form of formal charges and alternative measures, where the officer determined more benefit would be derived from the committe rather than the courts where the case may be dismissed. This move toward community policing and involving the public through membership in the Committee was enhanced with the appointment of a permanent RCMP member representative to sit with the committee and provide liaison with the Detachment.

Crime prevention:

Members of the RCMP are involved with a number of programs designed to prevent crime in our communities through both indirect and direct intervention. From school talks to youth initiatives and community safety plans, the goal of crime prevention programs is to target the roots of potential criminal and social problems. Members of the RCMP are involved in the following initiatives:

School Liaison: Each school year, a specific member is assigned to every school in our detachment area to act as a liaison. There are twelve schools within our detachment area. These members spend time in the schools not only providing presentations but are also available to speak individually with students and participate in various activities with them. These schools are located in Eden, Gladstone, Glenella, Neepawa, Plumas, RM of Rosedale and in Minnedosa.

Kidz Printz: This program is designed to provide parents with an identification kit that is used to store photographs, fingerprints, DNA, and general information about their children. The kits are being distributed through all of our offices.

Auxiliary Constable Program: Our detachment has a complement of three auxiliary constables: two in Neepawa and one in Gladstone. They are members of these communities and assist the detachment with patrol, traffic control and administrative duties. They are also involved in other community events.

Other Crime Prevention Programs include:

• Citizens on Patrol (COP) (Eden, Neepawa and Gladstone)
• Rural Crime Watch/Range Patrols
• Safe Grad
• Snowmobile Patrol
• Media Liaison

Police-community relations:

Without a solid base upon which to work, the police cannot hope to build the necessary partnerships with the community to prevent crime and to solve community problems. Members of the RCMP strive to build those bridges by appreciating the needs of the communities in which they work and live. Their commitment to the community goes beyond simple participation as residents, but also as active members of the community. Members of the RCMP are involved in the following initiatives:

• Red Serge Duty/Parades
• Detachment Tours
• Involvement with recreational activities

Quality service through strategic partnerships:

The community also benefits directly and indirectly from strategic partnerships that the RCMP forms with other law enforcement and governmental agencies as well as with as with other community groups. Several unique associations have been formed:

• Elected Officials
• Child Care Agencies
• Partners in Law Enforcement
• Local School Divisions
• Provincial Child and Family Services
• Portage/Brandon Women Shelters
• Assiniboine Regional Health Authority Police Agencies Committee