Winnipeg police officers to soon patrol Health Sciences Centre

Winnipeg police officers will soon be stationed 24/7 at the Health Sciences Centre in an attempt to address safety concerns. CTV’s Jeff Keele reports.

Winnipeg police officers will soon be stationed at the province’s largest hospital in an effort to address ongoing safety concerns.

The province confirmed to CTV News that two officers with the Winnipeg Police Service will now be patrolling the Health Sciences Centre 24/7, and five new weapon-detection scanners at hospital entrances will be installed.

“By funding dedicated police officers within the Health Sciences Centre emergency department, we are taking a proactive step to create a more secure and supportive environment for those seeking care and those providing it,” Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara said in a statement.

This comes following multiple security incidents at the hospital in recent years, including a situation where multiple women were sexually assaulted in and around the hospital in July.

A Doctors Manitoba survey found 44 per cent of physical safety incidents among physicians in the past year took place at the HSC.

In August, members of the Manitoba Nurses’ Union voted to grey list the the Health Sciences Centre, advising its members not to take shifts at the hospital due to safety concerns.

The hospital has implemented AI scanners to detect weapons for people entering the hospital since 2024.

The province said the presence of the officers will help enhance the current security services at the hospital.

“These police officers will create a layered security response structure that ensures individuals in crisis continue to receive the care and supervision they need,” Justice Minister Matt Wiebe said in a statement.

“It’s a smart, collaborative approach that benefits both law enforcement and the health-care system.”

With files from CTV’s Milan Lukes and Jeff Keele