Montreal has not, and will not, “defund” its police department, Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante firmly launched on Friday to close the door to suspicions that she would use the sums allocated by Quebec at the SPVM.
Thursday, La Presse and TVA reported that Quebec questioned the use made by the metropolis of the sums granted to reduce armed violence, wondering if they had been used to increase the police force – or for something else.
The mayoress vigorously refuted these suspicions Friday morning, during a forum on housing held in Laval.
“We’re going to be clear: the money earmarked for the SPVM goes to the SPVM,” she stated, in an irritated tone.
“The money is going to the right place,” she continued, pointing out that “Quebec never gives a blank check for any file.”
The mayor insisted that the management of public finances in Montreal is done in an irreproachable manner.
And to those who say that the Plante administration wants to “defund” the police, she replies: “that’s wrong.”
“It never happened, and it never will,” insists the mayor, as the city grapples with other gunshot deaths on its territory, causing concern among Montrealers .
“I’m tired of scaring the world and the police. »
Announcements will be made shortly, with concrete tools, in collaboration with Quebec, she promises, saying she wants to talk to Montrealers about it before the election is called.
It will be a question of increasing the police force, and the granting of tools to help the police as well as to reinforce preventive actions, a trio of measures already mentioned on Wednesday, when she reacted to the two murders which occurred the day before. in broad daylight in the metropolis.