Manitoba news: province expands ankle bracelet program [Video]

SELKIRK, Man. –

The Manitoba government is expanding its use of ankle bracelets to monitor criminals and suspects released on court-ordered conditions.

The bracelets, launched in Winnipeg in August to monitor people on bail, are to be available in the coming weeks in many other communities, including Brandon, Selkirk, Steinbach, Portage la Prairie, Winkler and Dauphin.

Justice Minister Matt Wiebe says the bracelets will also be expanded to support survivors of intimate partner violence, by notifying them when their alleged abuser breaches conditions.

The high-tech bracelets include live GPS tracking, an alarm and voice communication, and Wiebe says they can pinpoint someone’s location to within about two metres.

The Manitoba Association of Women’s Shelters says the program will increase safety for victims of intimate partner violence.

Wiebe says the technology is similar to that used in many other provinces and 100 bracelets will be available across Manitoba

“We know that our crime rates …