Man and Woman Facing Mischief Charges After Winnipeg Police Headquarters Flooded

Two people have been arrested in Winnipeg after flooding at the police headquarters in the city caused extensive damage.

Winnipeg police said the flooding happened around 6 p.m. on Feb. 14, after two suspects opened several emergency water supply valves in the upper stairwells of a tower building that is joined to the downtown police headquarters.

“Within minutes, significant water pressure built up in the pipes and forced water into the stairwells of the tower, which flooded some areas of police headquarters,” a Feb. 15 police news release said.

Winnipeg Police Service spokesperson Const. Dani McKinnon told reporters during a Feb. 15 news conference that water was pouring down the stairs and through ceilings, adding “it happened very quickly.”

“The amount of pressure that was building up was significant. So it just like a floodgate basically opened up,” McKinnon said.

Police say the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service responded to the scene and were able to close off the open water valves.

“Unfortunately, the release of water caused extensive flooding damage,” the news release said, adding the flooding impacted some of the police station’s work spaces.

Police said it would take time to fully evaluate the extent of the damage. A Winnipeg Police Service social media post said the building was still closed on Feb. 16 for “continued maintenance.”

Winnipeg police said that the incident happened after regular public reporting hours, but that a social media post was sent out to “inform the community.”

Two suspects were identified and arrested just after 11 p.m., according to Winnipeg police.

A 51-year-old man and a 36-year-old woman are both facing six counts of mischief over $5,000. The duo were handed over to the Major Crimes Unit unit and were released on undertakings, according to police.

“Access has always been a challenge in and out, but again, I cannot speak to how or when the two individuals entered the building, how long they were in the building,” McKinnon said, adding they were “pieces of the investigation.”

Winnipeg police said the public needed to know that the operations of its uniformed members would not be disrupted by the situation, but that in-person reporting at its headquarters was closed and it would provide daily updates on the status of the building.

The news release said it would take time to fully evaluate the condition of the building.

Police recommend that citizens make online reports, and call 9-1-1 for emergencies. Those with a non-emergency situation can call police at 204-986-6222.

Public Inquiry

The incident comes just days after a public inquiry into the police headquarters building began.

The inquiry is looking into the purchase and conversion of a former Canada Post building that is now the police headquarters. The project, which was led by City of Winnipeg and completed in 2016, cost $79 million more than the initial $135 million that had been budgeted for the building.

Former chief administrative officer for the City of Winnipeg Phil Sheegl was found in civil court to have accepted a $327,000 bribe from a contractor. No criminal charges were laid. Sheegl argued the money was for a real estate deal in Arizona that was not related to the building project. He appealed the finding, but lost.

Manitoba budgeted $2.3 million for the inquiry, which is expected to wrap up in June.

The Canadian Press contributed to this report.