SWAN RIVER, Man. — A new police unit is to be set up in western Manitoba to investigate complex and serious crimes.

The NDP government announced Thursday it would fund a portion of the pilot program in the town of Swan River.

It said nearly $265,000 is going toward the RCMP unit to crack down on drug trafficking and other serious crimes.

“The success that we’re hoping to find out of this … is disrupting some of those drug trafficking networks, the violent crime and some of the other organized crime that we’re seeing in the community,” Justice Minister Matt Wiebe told a press conference in Swan River.

The money will go toward hiring three new officers who will work on complex and multi-jurisdictional investigations in the Swan Valley region.

Swan River and the surrounding municipalities of Swan Valley West, Minitonas-Bowsman and the Rural Municipality of Mountain have signed a five-year agreement to establish the new unit.

Those municipalities have committed funds for the project as well as the federal government.

RCMP say the area has seen an increase in methamphetamine trafficking that has led to more serious crimes.

“This unit would be key in the ability to investigate and bring to justice organized crime, drug dealers and their networks, while freeing up regular members of the detachment to focus on more day-to-day policing and patrolling operations,” said Swan River Mayor Lance Jacobson.

He said recruiting efforts are underway with the hopes of having the unit operational by early next year.

Thursday’s announcement is the latest government announcement on tackling crime.

The province released its public safety strategy last week, which included providing permanent funding for 12 new Winnipeg police officers and an expansion of the electronic monitoring program outside Winnipeg.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 21, 2024.

The Canadian Press