With the upcoming entry into service of a new squad dedicated solely to the fight against firearms, SPVM police officers will take their fight against the armed violence that is shaking the city to a higher level.
Posted at 2:56 p.m.
Acting director Sophie Roy gathered her executives at the last minute on Friday morning to give them details on this new squad, the creation of which was revealed in The Press Thursday. We obtained information on the announcements and discussions made during this meeting.
Executives learned that the new squad will be operational around September 12 and will have around 60 police officers, mainly patrol officers, but also investigators and intelligence agents.
“The mission rhymes with pressure and repression. We had forgotten about it for a while, but I think that popular, media and political favor is behind us. We will ask the police to do what they joined the police for. We will still ask them to do so with the greatest respect, with courtesy, politeness and judgment. The goal is to secure the good people and disturb the bad ones, ”said the deputy director of operations of the gendarmerie, Jean-Michel Sylvestre.
The fight against armed violence, “it’s everyone’s business, not just the teams dedicated to the problem”, added the high-ranking officer.
Crisis unit
Mr. Sylvestre explained that a “crisis unit” made up of experts, that is to say directors of all sections, has been set up to find solutions.
He warned the executives that the management was going to ask them for an additional investment of their resources and that certain neighborhoods had to be stripped.
In addition to the creation of this new squad, the staff of the Eclipse Squad, which specializes in the surveillance of licensed establishments, intelligence gathering and arrests, has been temporarily increased by around thirty police officers since Thursday evening.
Already, the members of the squad seized a weapon in the night from Thursday to Friday, during their patrol.
During the meeting, the executives emphasized on several occasions that the population, the media and politicians were behind the police and that they felt supported.
PHOTO HUGO-SÉBASTIEN AUBERT, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
The acting director of the SPVM, Sophie Roy
Mme Roy said “she saw an opportunity there that wasn’t there before.” She admitted that the situation was difficult, but assured that the SPVM was in control.
She also reassured her executives about the relations “which were good” with all levels of government, and with the National Police School of Quebec (ENPQ).
The interim director said she had a discussion with ENPQ officials so that the SPVM, which is facing a staffing problem, could obtain more cohorts of police candidates and she should have another discussion next Monday.
“I expect all unit leaders to be present with their troops on the ground. It’s not about turning the city upside down and going hunting, and it’s about acting like modern police,” said Mr.me Roy.
One of its deputy directors, Anne Chamandy, added that the situation “was complex and was not going to be resolved in a few weeks”, but that the police had to be told that they still have an obligation of means” .
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