A lowered rate of calls received by the Winnipeg Police Service from the Millennium Library seems to indicate that new screening policies at the library are having a positive impact.

Joelle Schmidt, City of Winnipeg communications officer, explained that the screening process, which has been in effect since February of 2019, consists of a bag check and metal detection by way of a hand-held wand used on those entering the library.

"The goal of Library Services is to continue to keep everyone who visits and works at Millennium Library safe," she says.

To assist in individuals entering the library safely, lockers have been made available since the week of June 10, 2019, for visitors who would like to store and secure their belongings while at the Millennium.

With these new measures in place, the library has now entered the process of evaluating their effectiveness, says Schmidt. A comprehensive written report is currently in the process of being compiled.

Schmidt says that the report will "analyze all recent data in relation to the implementation of security measures, including the data from [the] WPS indicating a drop in service calls to the Millennium Library."

Constable Rob Carver with the Winnipeg Police confirms that police have received a reduced number of calls from the area of the Millennium Library since the new policy was implemented.

"We have certainly seen less calls for service from the Library," said Carver, but he noted the importance of considering those statistics within the greater picture of what the library itself is seeing. "It's a little premature to look at that ... really the accurate picture comes from the Millennium Library."

Carver pointed out that the WPS does not keep stats on calls specifically for the library itself, but for the wider area surrounding the library.

"We want to make sure that our numbers don't paint an inaccurate picture of what's going on."

The library's comprehensive written report is expected to be released and presented this fall to the Standing Policy Committee on Protection, Community Services and Parks.