Montreal Police Chief Fady Dagher acknowledges that it will take “more reinforcements and efforts” in the east of the Village, where the sense of security is weakened due to cases of vandalism and problems related to homelessness, even forcing some traders to consider closing their terraces.
” Frankly [aux commerçants], I would say to them: don’t let go, in the sense that we’re going to succeed, but it’s going to take a little more time. We have already agreed with the City that we will add more targeted operations or interventions towards certain people, ”explained Mr. Dagher on Tuesday, at the exit of a municipal commission before which he presented the 2022 annual report of the SPVM.
Sunday, The Press reported that several owners of restaurants and bars fear having to close their terraces. “Customers no longer come, they are afraid. We went from a full bar every Friday and Saturday to serving four or five people, ”illustrated the manager of the Expose cabaret, Martin Barrette.
Mr. Dagher maintains that since February, his troops have put “more than 5,000 hours of patrol” in the east of the Village and carried out more than 2,700 interventions, sometimes repressive, sometimes to get in touch with the communities. “We also continued to raise awareness with traders to tell them: as soon as there is something, call us”, maintains Mr. Dagher.
PHOTO PATRICK SANFAÇON, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Fady Dagher, head of the SPVM
It’s such a sensitive environment with great vulnerability. […] These people are in crisis, are very vulnerable, have little sleep and use drugs, in short, there are all sorts of things that make it difficult.
Fady Dagher, head of the SPVM
He therefore asks the population and traders “a little patience”, promising to provide solutions in the near future. “We will succeed as we go forward. And I’m sure we will find solutions, but they are not immediate, it will take a little time. »
“Our ambition is for it to happen either this year or next year. There, winter is coming, we will also have to think about the whole aspect of the subways, that is, how we will live with roaming in the subway. There is this whole chain that must also be prepared for 2024-2025, ”continued Mr. Dagher.
The head of the SPVM said he went to a restaurant in the area twice in the last few weeks, to eat there on the weekend. “I have seen what you are talking about, but I have also seen interventions. I saw people working in the field. We will have to go a little more reinforcement and effort at this level. We understand everyone, but it’s a vulnerable population and the human side will be very important. And that takes time,” he insisted.
A strategy this Thursday
On the sidelines of a public activity held on Tuesday, Mayor Valérie Plante revealed that a “strategy” would be presented this Thursday for the eastern sector of the Village. This policy, argues the mayor, was planned “long before anything that is happening now”.
“We take this issue very seriously. We will not give up and we will continue to support everyone, ”said the mayor, recalling that 40 additional police officers have been patrolling the area for a few weeks now. Their impact “will take some time to materialize”, she nevertheless temporized.
With the pandemic, Mme Plante believes that a “significant fracture has taken place in the east of the city center”. “As long as we tell ourselves that people who do not have a roof, that they wander in the city, we will not succeed either”, she however warned. “Far be it from me to give responsibility to Quebec, because we are doing what is necessary, but there are vulnerable people in our streets who must be taken care of, by putting a roof over their heads. »
His administration also claims to have “also increased the number of social workers and street workers since April” in the east of the Village, among other things “to tackle the drug network and ensure that the entries of metro are safe”.
“We hear the merchants, we know it’s difficult and we also want to do everything in the short term so that the summer goes well for them”, added the head of public security to the executive committee, Alain Vaillancourt, Tuesday. .
With Isabelle Ducas, The Press