Some time ago I wrote a post about the motivation behind the creation of the joint Winnipeg Police and RCMP task force created to reexamine the cases of missing and murdered women in Manitoba.

From the very outset this had all the appearances of a politically motivated exercise.  The Winnipeg police and the RCMP had not been clamouring for additional resources to fund such a task force.  Yet the Provincial government stepped forward, provided funding and initiated the Task Force.

The results to this point have not been anything tangible – no arrests.  That does not mean that the officers assigned to the task force have not been doing their jobs.  In circumstances such as these the police should not be expected to share the results of their efforts publicly.  That could, and in many cases would be, counterproductive if indeed they have new leads or possible suspects.

The Winnipeg Police and the RCMP,  however, could  provide a general overview of what they have been doing in terms of process.  They could, for example, indicate that a certain percentage of the total number of files under consideration have been reviewed.  They could indicate in a general sense whether that review has yielded useful information that has prompted further investigation in some cases.  They could also indicate when it is anticipated that the  review of all the files will be completed.

By saying nothing they are leaving the impression that they have been doing, well, nothing, and I’m sure that’s not the case.