The Service de police de la Ville de Montréal will launch, as of this evening, a major operation of visibility and repression to fight against armed violence, learned The Press.
Posted at 4:05 p.m.
As of Thursday evening, the staff of the Eclipse Squad will be increased, and the members of this unit specialized in the surveillance of licensed establishments, the collection of information and the arrests will be more present on the Montreal territory confirmed a source to The Press.
Other sources have also told us that the SPVM is preparing to reassign personnel, which could eventually lead to the creation, in the coming days, of a new squad dedicated exclusively to the fight against armed violence.
According to our information, this new squad would be made up of around fifty police officers, information that the department’s management did not want to confirm.
“The response to armed violence will be important,” we were simply told.
For the time being, the SPVM would assume the costs of these new efforts but we are told that the acting director of the SPVM, Sophie Roy, is currently in discussion with the City of Montreal and the Ministry of Public Security.
At the office of Minister Geneviève Guilbault, we were told that no announcement was planned for Thursday.
The Press has also learned that the members of the Eclipse Squad will also participate in an important visibility and intelligence-gathering operation put forward as part of the Quebec strategy to fight against Centaur firearms this weekend.
More than 100 police officers from the Sûreté du Québec, the SPVM, the RCMP, the Laval police department, the Longueuil agglomeration police department and several other municipal police forces will take part in this operation, which will be carried out under the direction of the SQ, and which will take place in Montreal, on the north and south crowns, and elsewhere in Quebec.
Pensioners to the rescue
In interview Thursday morning at The PressSophie Roy, did not talk about these new measures which will be put in place on Thursday evening, but she mentioned others in the medium to long term aimed at dealing with the armed violence which is shaking Montreal.
Cohorts of the École nationale de police du Québec intended exclusively for the SPVM, recall of retired police officers, training of new units or reinforcement of existing units; the SPVM management is studying various measures to deal with armed violence in the city.
“It is certain that what is currently happening on the island of Montreal challenge enormously. These are new challenges so it takes new means and new ways of doing things. We formed a committee of experts at the SPVM, with a variety of expertise, and I told them: ‘You have to think outside the box (off the beaten track)’” declared Sophie Roy.
For several months, the Brotherhood of Police Officers of Montreal deplored a lack of staff at the SPVM. On this subject, Mr.me Roy said he contacted the authorities of the City of Montreal Thursday morning to check how the recall of retired police officers could be facilitated.
These could be recalled “in specific situations” says Mme Roy, such as for certain order services, for specific projects or to fill in absences due to summer holidays.
According to her, however, the recall of retired police officers could not really take place before the summer of 2023.
Attract recruits
The hiring of recruit police officers is also currently a problem at the SPVM.
Thursday afternoon, M.me Roy was also to discuss with officials of the École nationale de police du Québec to study the possibility of creating cohorts of new police candidates intended exclusively for the SPVM or increasing the number of police candidates to benefit the Service de police de la City of Montreal.
“We want to see how we can increase the number of hires for the police department. Would it be exclusive cohorts, additional cohorts that would be added to the already existing pool of the National Police Academy? That remains to be determined. The ENPQ has a great opening to help the SPVM. They are aware of the situation that we are living in the territory, “said Mr.me Roy.
The acting director of the SPVM has not ruled out that the fight against armed violence will also take place on other fronts, such as the fight against fraud or the laundering of the proceeds of crime, in collaboration with other partners.
“It is absolutely necessary to attack the purchasing power of criminal groups. This requires collaboration from all entities, and I’m not just talking about the police, I’m also talking about the justice system, and all the partners who work with the police service. There are thoughts going on. We cannot remain in the status quo,” explained Ms.me Roy.
“Our police officers have had great results over the past few months, but we are concerned about what is happening in the territory, because it greatly affects the population’s sense of security”.
“It’s a priority for us because it’s very personal. It picks us up in our neighborhoods, near our schools, in our values too. The police take all the means. They are dedicated but they need the support of the population and to be heard. They won’t give up if they feel this support and everyone’s contribution,” concluded Mr.me Roy.
With the collaboration of Vincent Larouche
To reach Daniel Renaud, dial 514 280-7000, ext. 4918, write to [email protected] or write to the postal address of The Press.