Source: Brandon Police Service Media Release On May 21, 2019, police received a report of a stolen credit card that was used fraudulently between May 17 and May 20, 2019. The owner of the card wasn’t sure exactly how the suspects got ahold of it, but in the short time they possessed it they were able to use it for approximately $10,000. The card was used at 22 businesses and ATM’s in Brandon, some of which had video surveillance. There were 41 separate transactions made on the card. Two individuals were identified as having used the card and both were arrested on Thursday afternoon. Members of Brandon Police Service Major Crimes Section executed a search warrant at the suspects’ residence and seized a number of the purchases made including a BBQ, cell phones, clothes, perfume and other household items. A 54-year-old female and a 26-year-old male were arrested. They will be appearing in court on August 29, 2019.

Source: Brandon Police Service Media Release At approximately 7:30 pm, police attempted to initiate a vehicle stop in the 4000 block of Van Horne Ave as it had been observed driving erratically. The driver did not stop, and continued to drive west, eventually heading out of Brandon on Hwy 1A. The driver’s speeds reached as high as 80 km/h within the residential areas, and 150 km/h on the Hwy. In an attempt to avoid recognition, the driver had tilted the seat back, and was hiding behind the window frame. The pursuit was terminated just beyond the city limits and the RCMP were notified. This matter is still under investigation.

Source: Brandon Police Service Media Release When individuals with mental health challenges are in crisis, Police are often summoned to respond. “It’s our job to keep the person and the community safe.” says Chief Wayne Balcaen of the Brandon Police Service, “By legislation; our front-line members have to decide if the person needs to go to the hospital for emergency assessment.” If a mental health crisis call ends up at hospital, it often takes hours for the person to be assessed by a doctor. After being assessed, the person is admitted for treatment less than half of the time. At two Constables per call, this can represent a significant impact to police resources. Brandon Police Service is hoping this will begin to improve after they launch an innovative new program for responding to crisis calls later today. Implemented in conjunction with area hospitals, the program is a digital platform called HealthIM™ (www.healthIM.com) equipping Officers with on-scene risk assessment tools and the ability to communicate with triage nurses in real time. “It’s about collaboration. It’s about supporting our members and providing them with the tools and training they need to provide an appropriate and empathetic response to our citizens,” says Deputy Chief Randy Lewis of the Brandon Police Service. Based on a clinical screening tool specifically designed for use by law enforcement, HealthIM runs inside cruisers on police mobile devices. The program will assist officers in determining the best environment for a person in crisis. If a trip to the emergency room is required, the system alerts the triage nurse in advance, communicating vital mental health information. This helps healthcare staff prepare and to provide more timely treatment. “When police are called to a person in crisis, they have to decide whether that person needs to go to the hospital. This can be very difficult given limited information and time.” says HealthIM CEO Daniel Pearson Hirdes “The system places screening tools right into the hands of Officers.” HealthIM has been adopted by 19 police services in Ontario and the prairies and has improved police response to individuals in crisis and cut hospital wait times by as much as 50%. The program goes live this morning and was funded in full through the Manitoba Criminal Property Forfeiture Fund. Brandon Police Service is the first agency in the world to incorporate the IOS platform with the Health IM program. About HealthIM – HealthIM is a comprehensive technical solution for Police Service response to mental health crisis calls. On scene, Officers are guided through a brief digital screening of an individual’s risk of harm. After an Officer decides which outcome is most appropriate, HealthIM supports transfer of care to mobile crisis teams, emergency shelters or in the case of apprehension, to local hospital receiving sites. The system utilizes military-grade cryptography (transport layer security and 4096-bit RSA encryption) to safeguard an individual’s privacy.

Source: Brandon Police Service Media Release Police received a report from a homeowner in the East End, that they had located a sawed-off, 22-caliber, Savage Mark 12 rifle in a bush on their property. It is unknown how long the rifle was there before the homeowner discovered it. The rifle was turned over to police. Should homeowners discover anything suspicious on their property, they can contact Brandon Police for advice on what to do with it.

Source: Brandon Police Service Media Release Shortly after 9:00 pm, police received a report of a male who ordered and consumed a meal at a restaurant in the 1500 Block of 18th Street, before leaving without paying. The staff followed the individual until he was stopped and arrested by police. The 41-year-old male will appear I court in August 26, 2019.