RCMP search office of firm building new Winnipeg police HQ

Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman says the city will co-operate with the RCMP's criminal investigation involving the new police headquarters, which was launched after an audit of the building projectprovided enough evidence for a full probe.

The Mounties have been going in and out of Caspian Construction onMcGillivrayBoulevard since about noon Wednesday.

Caspian isthe main contractor involved in the conversion ofthe former Canada Post building on Graham Avenue into the Winnipeg Police Service's new HQ, which has gone $75 million over budget.

At one point, plainclothes officers emerged from the company's office with at least two computers.

According to RCMP, the police headquarters investigation began after the Manitoba government referred three audits to police in August for review.

Police search the offices of Caspian Projects, the company working on the new Winnipeg police headquarters building, on Wednesday. (Sean Kavanagh/CBC)

Investigators from the RCMP's federal, serious and organized crime units have been working on two separate reviews: one involving the WPS headquarters and another involving Winnipeg Fire Paramedic stations.

"The RCMP have completed a review of the forensic audit regarding the construction of the Winnipeg Police Service Headquarters and this is now considered a full investigation. The Winnipeg Fire Paramedic stations file is still under review," according to a news release.

RCMP say theirexecution of the search warrant "at a local business"on Wednesdayis related to the investigation, but they would not release further details.

Bowman told reporters on Wednesday afternoon that the Mounties must be allowed to carry out their investigation, andthe city promises full co-operation.

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RCMP search office of firm building new Winnipeg police HQ