A Call for Calm and Respect
Chief Danny Smyth
Last evening protesters besieged the WPS Headquarters in response to an arrest that took place near Provencher Boulevard, not far from the protest encampment known as Camp Mercedes adjacent to the Canadian Human Rights Museum. Protestors demanded the release of the man arrested. Some used red paint to write derogatory phrases and smear handprints on the windows, walls, and inner vestibule of the front entrance. Multiple police units were required to de-escalate and calm the situation.
Police investigators had earlier arrested Tre Delaronde. He was charged criminally for Uttering Threats to Cause Death or Bodily Harm, Mischief Under $5,000, and Possess Body Armour without a valid permit. He was later released from custody as mandated by the Criminal Code.
This is the third time protestors have swarmed public or private property. Two of these incidents were directed at the WPS Headquarters. All these incidents were incited by individuals on social media. All these incidents were handled professionally and with restraint by well-trained police officers.
How did we get to this point? Context is necessary.
In May 2022, front-line police officers, and homicide investigators responded quickly to a disturbing discovery of partial human remains in a refuse bin on Edison Avenue. The timely actions of those investigators were instrumental in tracking other trucks that had picked up refuse in the area and taken it to the Brady landfill. This all happened within hours of the crime.
Forensic and search personnel were mobilized. It took weeks of planning, and weeks of searching to execute the search of a specific area within the landfill. Against the odds, they were successful in recovering the partial remains of Rebecca Contois.
Jeremy Skibicki was charged with 1st degree murder and detained into custody.
Meanwhile the investigation continued. Investigators believed that there were other victims. They doggedly pursued leads, and steadily gathered evidence to support additional murder charges. This time forensic investigators did not have the advantage of being hours behind the crime. After assessing the totality of the circumstances, a search of the Prairie Green landfill was explored, but determined to be infeasible. Evidence was presented to the Crown prosecutor who authorized four 1st degree murder charges involving the murders of Rebecca Contois, Marcedes Myran, Morgan Harris, and a fourth woman who has never been identified, known as Buffalo Woman. The Deputy Attorney General saw fit to directly indict Skibicki, which will expedite the prosecution.
Understandably, some in the community were upset with the decision not to search. I met later with Grand Chief Merrick and Chief Wilson, along with family representatives. They wanted to form a committee to review the feasibility of a search to determine if the remains of Marcedes Myran and Morgan Harris could be recovered from Prairie Green. I was not against the review and agreed to cooperate with the committee, but I did advise that the integrity of the pending prosecution was important. I cautioned that the feasibility review that she was leading needed to be framed as a recovery operation, and was not part of the criminal investigation, was not for the purpose of gathering further evidence, and that recovery efforts, should they be undertaken, were distinct from the Skibicki investigation.
It did not take long for protestors to make their presence at the Brady landfill. There has been a presence there since December 2022. Many will recall that the City of Winnipeg closed the landfill for a period back then.
The Winnipeg Police have worked with the protestors the entire time, ensuring the right to peaceful protest, and doing their best to prevent unlawful conduct. Our approach is based on a National Framework that was developed by the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police. It is the same framework that was used during the Convoy Protest that occurred in Winnipeg last year. There is emphasis on communicating with protestors, so they understand their rights and the rule of law. Show of force, and use of force, is a last resort.
Grand Chief Merrick delivered her feasibility study in April. The authors of the study have identified considerable risks, but believe a search is possible.
Community and protestor emotions and tension have escalated as governments have taken positions for and against searching. Social media posts have influenced behaviour that is not aligned with peaceful protest. This brings me full circle to the incident that occurred at Winnipeg Police Headquarters.
Tre Delaronde has been a constant presence at the protests. His conduct at the protest sight, and on social media has been aggressive, and at times militant. Police liaison officers have engaged with him multiple times, and he has been cautioned on a several occasions. He continued to push boundaries—investigators, in consultation with the Crown, were authorized to arrest and charge him criminally for threatening security employees working at Brady and damaging the property of an employee. At the time of his arrest, he was wearing a ballistic vest and military-like fatigues.
This is a call for calm and respectful behavior. The Winnipeg Police are doing their best to balance the right to protest peacefully, but there is very little tolerance for those that act unlawfully or aggressively. Those that do will be held accountable.
To the members of the Winnipeg Police Service: from the front-line officer, the investigators, the event management unit, and the police liaison officers—your professionalism is exceptional.
Thank you for your service.