It’s being called “a move in the right direction” by the sister of Claudette Osborne, who has been missing in Winnipeg since 2008.
“This is a good,” said Bernadette Smith of Friday’s Winnipeg Police Service (WPS) announcement to split from the Project Devote task force it shared with Manitoba RCMP in 2011.
“As long as they continue to work collaboratively.”
The task force, with eight police officers and six Mounties, was established to solve 28 cold cases, primarily involving Indigenous women. To date, it has shown one result for the murder of Myrna Letandre in 2014.
Winnipeg police Chief Danny Smyth said his service would be “consolidating its approach” to cases involving missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls (MMIWG) under a dedicated investigations branch.
The branch would be staffed by members of the homicide, counter exploitation, missing persons and internet child exploitation units.
“Devote will carry on; the Mounties want to retain that name,” Smyth said in an interview. “They will continue to investigate some files in their jurisdiction.”
Indeed, Manitoba RCMP confirmed as much in an email to APTN News.
“This does not change our approach to Project Devote; we will continue to investigate all cases thoroughly and will work closely with Winnipeg Police Services,” said spokesperson Cpl. Julie Courchaine.
“The RCMP will supplement Project Devote with additional officers from its Major Crime Services when necessary.”
FULL STORY: Winnipeg police unveil new approach to mmiwg cases – APTN NewsAPTN News
