DistantNews
Support us
Manitoba Faces Calls for More Training for Security Guards
🇨🇦 Canada /Crime & Justice

Manitoba Faces Calls for More Training for Security Guards

From Global News · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • A 24-year-old security guard was critically injured in a stabbing while confronting a suspected shoplifter in Winnipeg, and later stabilized.
  • Experts say Manitoba should expand mandatory training, particularly in de-escalation, before guards begin work.
  • The province currently requires a 40-hour course and a 75 percent exam score, but temporary licenses can allow six months of work without completing the course.

A stabbing involving a Winnipeg security guard has renewed calls for Manitoba to strengthen training requirements before guards begin working.

The 24-year-old guard suffered critical injuries after confronting a man who allegedly tried to leave a store without paying on Sargent Avenue. The victim later improved to stable condition. Police arrested a 23-year-old man on Sunday and laid several charges.

With a lack of training and they’re out there, this is where they’re going to overstep their bounds.

— Peter de BeerThe security training consultant warned that insufficient preparation could lead guards to exceed their authority.

The incident came days after another security guard was stabbed at a Dollarama store in Winnipeg’s St. James area. Peter de Beer of de Beer Consulting and Security Training said inadequate preparation can put guards and the public at risk. “With a lack of training and they’re out there, this is where they’re going to overstep their bounds,” he said. “They’re going to use way too much force or they’re going to be using tools they should not be using.”

They’re going to use way too much force or they’re going to be using tools they should not be using.

— Peter de BeerDe Beer described the risks he associates with inadequate security-guard training.

Manitoba currently requires security guards to complete a 40-hour course and score at least 75 percent on a provincially approved examination. However, a temporary licensing provision allows people to work for six months without completing the course. The existing requirements are about 20 years old.

The current curriculum includes safety awareness, crowd control, and scenario assessment. De Beer said the training should become longer and more detailed, with greater emphasis on de-escalation. Justice Minister Matt Wiebe did not provide specific details but said the province is considering changes and working with the industry on additional training. He said further information could come in the coming months.

Building out the curriculum and then ensuring that gets rolled out by training the trainers.

— Matt WiebeThe Manitoba justice minister described the province’s approach to possible changes in the training program.
About this summary

Originally published by Global News in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

More Stories

From Our Blog