The Winkler and Morden police boards are in early conversations about the potential of merging the two services into one.

"The services have worked well together for years," Winkler Police Board Chair Henry Siemens says, adding there could be real benefits including specialized policing, career advancement opportunities and shared resources.

Criminals don't respect city limits either, Siemens says, noting investigations often take members across the region.

"If we have full, shared, intel... we think we can police both communities better," Siemens says. "But there's an awful lot of questions that need to be answered before we get to that point."

The Winkler Police Service station

The idea of merging came up more than six years ago but at that time it didn't make sense, he says.

"The idea is back on the table," Siemens says, adding there seems to be general support for the idea from all parties involved including both Morden and Winkler city councils.

A merger was one of the recommendations that came out of consultant and retired Winnipeg Police Chief Devon Clunis' recent review of both the Morden and Winkler police services.

However, Siemens says while there's plenty of interest, now the hard work of looking at the details begins, "it involves an awful lot of questions, and answering those one by one."

"As much as we have two services that are very complimentary, there are differences between the two, and as much as we have two communities that are very complimentary there are differences."

The Winkler and Morden Police Boards recently met and are in favour of continuing the conversation towards a potential merger

The Winkler and Morden Police Boards recently met and are in favour of continuing the conversation.

First, Siemens says they're looking into the legality of merging.

"If all of those things come into alignment, then we're going to get more specific, "can we get past the areas of concern, can we get past the differences from one service to the next, one community to the next,'" Siemens says.

Morden Police Board Chair Rich Harries has said they still have a number of milestones to reach within the Morden service, like the hiring of a sergeant, before moving forward.