The Brandon Police Service will receive provincial money for a new permanent jail at its headquarters.
$4.4-million dollars will go towards building a new detention facility – and until that’s completed – modular cells will be constructed.
Also this year, the province has provided almost $200-thousand dollars to BPS for training and equipment upgrades.
The government says the funding was made available through the Manitoba Restart Program.
Justice Minister Cliff Cullen says “Our government is committed to the safety of all Manitobans including safe conditions for detainees and the staff operating these facilities. These important investments will also support jobs in the construction industry as we continue to safely restart and grow Manitoba’s economy.”
Brandon Police Chief Wayne Balcaen says “This funding will provide the BPS with the ability to construct a modern detention facility that will help ensure the safety of our clients, staff and the community we serve. We also thank the Manitoba government for additional funding through the Criminal Property Forfeiture Fund, which will provide additional tools and training to our staff, and ultimately contribute to overall public safety.”
The minister announced the province has also provided almost $200,000 to BPS this year through the Criminal Property Forfeiture Fund for training and equipment upgrades, noting $25,000 of the funding was shared with the Brandon Bear Clan organization to purchase a van for their operations.
