Police 'check in' at minor hockey games in Winnipeg
A new uniform will appear at minor hockey games across Winnipeg this season — that of a police officer.
"I've seen in like a lot of games when they get out of control," said Adria Mielke, mother of three boys under the age of 14 playing the game. "I've seen some of his games get really physical."
Mielke thinks having a police officer at games will help calm things down in the stands and on the ice.
"If they are there and people do see them, then that will deter them," said Mielke. "You would hope that that would deter them from that kind of behaviour where it is the kids on the ice or it's the parents in the stands or it's the coaches that are doing that."
Starting this weekend, police will be dropping in to games as part of a new program called Checking In.
"It's more of an education component than sort of a punitive component. [We] want to get the word out there that we've got to bring a little bit of respect back to the game," said Monte Miller, the executive director of Hockey Winnipeg.
Police approached him about a month ago about the idea, following a particularly violent hockey season in Manitoba, with fights and assaults both on the ice and in the dressing rooms between coaches, parents, referees and players.
Miller hopes the police presence will reinforce the Respect In Sport program instituted by Hockey Winnipeg.
This is the first season where, in order for a child to play hockey in the city, at least one parent has to complete the program.
