AMC surprised but welcomes the re-organization of the Winnipeg Police Service Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) Investigations

TreatyOne Territory, Manitoba-The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC) Grand Chief Arlen Dumas was surprised to learn that the Winnipeg Police Service (WPS) has suddenly announced that they are re-organizing how they investigate Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMWIG)but welcomes the coordinated approach to tackling the crisis of MMIWG.

AMC Grand Chief Arlen Dumas says, “This announcement by Winnipeg Police Chief Danny Smyth comes as a total surprise. One would think the WPS would work with our office to build relationships and identify partnerships in order to find innovative and preventative ways, using a strength-based approach, to address the violence experienced by Indigenous women and girls. Regardless, the fact that they have created a dedicated Family Liaison position is good. It is consistent with the AMC MMIWG National Inquiry recommendation that (a) all policing agencies create dedicated staff positionsto facilitate contact with police and (b) timely provision of information be provided to families of MMIWG. AMC hopes that clear policies and practices be established to ensure the families first model is followed, and more importantly that the work of the dedicated staff person must be done in a culturally appropriate and trauma informed manner.”

“I agreethat it is absolutely important to work to ensure Indigenous women and girls are not exploited in the first place, but something about positioning it like it is an either/or proposition with dealing with cold cases rubs me the wrong way. We cannot forgetabout those women and girls. That is why I hope this new model will also collaborate with First Nation led organizations like the AMC as well as the Bear Clan Patrol which has a direct knowledge of community needs,”concluded Grand Chief Arlen Dumas.

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For more information, please contact:

Curtis Mallett, Policy Analyst

Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs

Email: cmallett@manitobachiefs.com

Phone:204-987-4107

NT5