first 100 days at the head of the SPVM | Fady Dagher’s three priorities

Recruit and retain more staff, prevent shootings and get closer to citizens: the director of the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM), Fady Dagher, assures that efforts are being made to fight against the proliferation of firearms in Montreal and improve the working conditions of police officers, who face increasingly risky interventions in the field.

Mr. Dagher took stock of his first 100 days in office Monday morning during a press briefing.

He reiterated his three main priorities: recruitment and retention, the fight against gun violence and bringing police closer to the population.

He notably underlined the 30% wage increase for recruits and the recent approval of the collective agreement. “We managed to stop the bleeding. We have put in place historic measures to promote attractiveness,” explained Mr. Dagher.

The SPVM now wants to allow retired police officers to return to work in their ranks, according to their availability.

The Montreal police have also opened up to different profiles: the number of places in the AEC Police Diversity program has been increased, by broadening applications to profiles in the field of social studies.

Criminals to to watch

The fight against firearms remains a priority at the SPVM.

Field work has resulted in 107 gun-related arrests since the start of the year. We are talking about 249 weapons seized.

The SPVM will set up a “targeted deterrent” this summer, announced Mr. Dagher. The authorities will exert constant pressure on people who engage in behavior indicating a link to armed conflict, he said.

The metropolis faces many arson attacks, the scourge of car theft, but also fraud. It is difficult, however, to tackle under-the-radar funding sources, even though fraud can be used to buy guns, the chief admitted.

“We have a partnership with the banks. I’m going to be frank, as long as we don’t have a victim who files a complaint, we have less leeway. »

Better to understand Montreal

The new agents hired this fall will have the opportunity to do a four-week immersion in the community before taking up their duties. This project is a reflection of the model implemented in Longueuil by Mr. Dagher to allow agents to familiarize themselves with the reality of the metropolis and to be confronted with various issues in a context other than interventions or calls to 911.

“It will allow those who do not come from Montreal to know the city. I also invite our future police officers to come and settle in Montreal,” added the director of the SPVM.

The police of tomorrow must be proactive, he repeats. “We can’t just answer calls anymore. We must act before the call. We want to treat the causes, not the symptoms, and at the moment, we are still far too much in the symptoms. »