The Wikwemikong Tribal Police Service is seeing results from a new program aimed at reducing repeat offences and improving compliance with court conditions.
Chief of Police Ron Gignac says the Offender Management Apprehension Program launched in March, is already helping to make the community safer through targeted monitoring and strong partnerships with local service providers.
He says in its first four months, the program has registered 40 individuals, with 20 currently active.
He says officers have also conducted 36 compliance checks, with 72 per cent of those checks confirming that individuals were following the conditions of their judicial release while ten individuals were found to be non-compliant since the program’s inception.
Gignac emphasizes the program isn’t just about keeping track of people, but also supporting recovery, building trust, and working together to make our community safer for everyone.
He adds the OMAP is guided by four key pillars: early intervention to identify and reduce risk before it escalates; tracking and monitoring of court-ordered conditions; accountability through clear consequences for violations, and partnerships with social service providers and community organizations to support rehabilitation.
Gignac emphasizes the program is designed not only to ensure compliance, but to reduce the number of repeat offences through support-based strategies rooted in restorative justice.
Gignac says repeat offences place a significant burden on policing, court systems, and community resources, but by proactively identifying and supporting high-risk individuals, the program helps reduce the cycle of reoffending.
“These early interventions not only improve public safety but also generate long-term cost savings that allow WTPS and community partners to redirect resources into other critical areas such as youth programs, victim services, and mental health supports.”
He also continue to encourage the community to play an active role in keeping Wiikwemkoong safe by reporting suspicious or criminal activity through a telephone call to the police, Crime Stoppers or the WTPS online reporting tool at www.wtps.ca.
