Public Security Minister Geneviève Guilbault believes it’s up to Montreal to use the funds made available to it to have the necessary police personnel in the fight against armed violence, despite doubts about its plan to hire 450 officers more over the next five years.
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On the eve of the start of the election campaign, Quebec announced an investment of $250 million over 5 years to strengthen the police presence in the metropolis and wage war on criminals. The plan notably aims to add 450 police officers to the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM).
This goal is almost impossible to achieve, according to our Bureau of Investigation. It will be necessary to replace hundreds of police officers eligible for retirement now and find a way to attract new police officers who are turning their backs on Montreal because of the very low starting salary and the risks of working in the metropolis.
Ms. Guilbault, who was alongside Ms. Plante during the announcement, however, believes that her plan is realistic and throws the ball in the direction of the municipal administration.
“The nuance that is important to bring to this whole debate is that the SPVM, its management falls under the municipal administration of the City of Montreal, so [le gouvernement] cannot manage staffing and human resource management for them. It is not our role, “said Ms. Guibault, in an interview with LCN, Wednesday.
“We were responsible, proactive and generous,” said the minister, stressing that the government acted in a “concrete” way by putting the money “on the table”.
It was not possible to get the mayor to react directly, but her office indicated in a statement sent by email that the SPVM and the government are working together to “evaluate the capacity to recruit and integrate new staff”, before confirming forecasts.
“Our goal is to implement a plan that very significantly increases the number of police officers on the ground and assigned to investigations as quickly as possible. Transitional measures are also being explored, while the new police officers are trained and hired, ”explained in the written statement Catherine Cadotte, press officer in the mayor’s office.
She said the City will be able to “confirm targets” when the details of government financial support are finalized.
For its part, the official opposition in Montreal declined our interview request.
“To hire [des policiers] doesn’t fix everything”
In the morning, Mayor Plante argued Wednesday morning that the public security crisis would only be resolved with various measures, although she welcomed government assistance.
“The quick, simple solution does not exist, because it is complex. But we are dedicated to finding solutions, which will last over time, and which will also influence, I hope, other models and other cities to make the right choices, ”she said. explained, during the meeting of the executive committee.
For her, it will be important to tackle the “systemic” causes of armed violence, indicating that the City will have to use “a multitude of tools”.
She gave the example of the importance of housing and welcoming living environments. “A mobilized and motivated population that makes the right choices and does not turn to crime is a population that has opportunities. We must ensure that our citizens start from the same starting line, ”she argued.
Ms. Plante also welcomed the funds granted by the government for the mobile mediation and social intervention team (ÉMMIS), a pilot project set up in 2021 in the borough of Ville-Marie, in which workers civilian psychosocial workers can intervene in situations of psychological distress.