The union that represents Winnipeg police officers welcomes an overhaul of Manitoba's Police Act, but warns it will not solve all of the problems plaguing the justice system.
The policing act, dating back to the 1930s, is definitely "ripe for review," said Mike Sutherland, president of the Winnipeg Police Association.
The government has been working on revisions for the past year and plans to outline its proposed changes when the legislature resumes in the fall.
Winnipeg police have come under fire recently after the death of two young aboriginal men — one who was shot and the other who died after being zapped by a Taser stun gun.
The city's police service is also being scrutinized in a public inquiry into the death of woman whose car was struck by another driven by an off-duty officer.
Sutherland said officers hope the proposed changes to the act can help them through these difficult times.
The proposed changes will deal with the use of outside agencies to investigate police accused of committing crimes, as well as police commissions and police accountability.
"Unfortunately I think that there may be an expectation that this will be a cure-all, and I just don't think that that is realistic," Sutherland said.
Making training standards more uniform across the province is an issue he'd like to see given top priority.
"We hope that there's a made-in-Manitoba solution for our made-in-Manitoba problems," he said.