Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante is defending herself against accusations that she does not support the police as the metropolis is rocked by serial shootings.
” I am not perfect. I can be criticized on many things, but to question my dedication, my search for solutions, the way I am always on the ground […]. I find it difficult and, for me, it’s wrong, ”she said at the very end of the press conference on Thursday.
Ms. Plante assures that she is dedicated to the City of Montreal and to solving the problem of gun crime.
These comments follow a statement by the Brotherhood of Montreal Police Officers that the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM) does not have the necessary manpower to protect citizens adequately.
According to the union, police officers would even choose to leave the ranks of the SPVM because they do not feel supported by the administration.
In a letter sent this week to Mayor Plante’s office, the union alleges that since the promise made last year to hire 250 additional police officers, the total number of officers has fallen by 72 at the SPVM.
Valérie Plante and other elected officials, such as Public Security Minister Geneviève Guilbault, are under intense pressure to resolve the gun violence crisis in the Montreal area.
On Tuesday, two men were killed in less than an hour and in broad daylight in busy public places. These are the two most recent shooting murders in a long series that have taken place over the summer.
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