The arrival of the new chief of the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM), Fady Dagher, gives hope to elected officials of the Legault government to be able to change the situation in the fight against armed violence in the metropolis.
“I have known Mr. Dagher for several years. He is a gentleman who has a lot of professional rigor. He has a vision of things, he is able to target the issues and he has the ability to generate support for what he puts in place,” said Minister Chantal Rouleau on Friday, on the sidelines of a visit by premises of Moisson Montréal, where she participated in the preparation of Christmas baskets.
Today Minister of Social Solidarity and Community Action, but formerly responsible for the Metropolis, the main interested party says she is “happy” to see Fady Dagher arrive “at this time”. “We needed someone like him,” she says clearly.
For meme Rouleau, his presence “is a guarantee that Montreal will be able to take the various situations of violence head-on, and with a vision”. “We are talking about repression yes, but there is all the prevention behind which is essential. It is this work on which we must put a lot of energy, and I will be able to help from this point of view there, ”promises the one who is also an MP for Pointe-aux-Trembles.
An “inspiring” journey
You should know that Fady Dagher is known for having redesigned his police department in order to give more space to relations with citizens in the work of officers. From 2020, he offered his Longueuil patrollers the opportunity to immerse themselves in the reality of often marginalized individuals – veiled women, people broken by mental health problems or families with an autistic child, for example – in order to understand their reality. The “Immersion Project” had hit the headlines and made Mr. Dagher widely known.
“I have been trying to reduce the prejudices of the police towards vulnerable populations, but also the prejudices of vulnerable populations towards the police, for 15 years. I tried masterful training, it doesn’t work, “he said in 2020 as part of a major report by The Press.
At a press conference on Friday, the current Minister of Public Security, François Bonnardel, spoke of the new head of the SPVM as an “inspiring man”. “Now there is a process in place, we will have to discuss it at the Council of Ministers, but I am delighted with the appointment,” he said, mentioning that he should meet Mr. Dagher next week. .
Ultimately, it is indeed the Quebec Council of Ministers that will have to approve this choice, a step that should take place next January.
Decontamination: “it will unravel”
In an interview, Mr.me Rouleau also returned to the decontamination that is treading water in the east end of Montreal. While Quebec was planning to spend up to $200 million on it, only one private piece of land has been decontaminated so far. Barely 9.6 million have been used, while the program ends in a year. “The program needs to be a little more flexible. I think it needs to be redesigned. When I was minister, I had these discussions with the mayor. We have to get there, and quickly. Currently, it’s like the cat chasing its tail, but it will unravel, ”she said, arguing that the work underway on the future of the Eastern REM could also allow accelerate the decontamination of certain sites.