Police officers from the Sûreté du Québec will practice crowd control maneuvers, in particular using chemical irritants, during training camps at Village Vacances Valcartier, over a period of three years. And that even includes exercises through the water slides.
Photo archives, Axel Marchand-Lamothe
SQ police officers during training with hazardous materials, in November 2018, in Boucherville.
The police force recently signed a $2.78 million agreement with the major vacation resort north of Quebec City to provide training for its specialized units, starting next Monday until 2025.
Similar events have taken place over the past two years, but were not reported by the media.
“They mainly use the camping sector and also the water park sector, but the land section, not the attractions,” explains Sandra Nadeau, vice-president, sales, marketing, communications for the Calypso Group.
The SQ police officers use the water park facilities to “hide or make scenarios”, she adds, while specifying that the site is currently closed to customers.
War games
According to the call for tenders, Village Vacances Valcartier will receive 104 police officers and 21 animators/trainers for periods of four or five days, which includes accommodation and catering.
These training sessions will occupy the site for six to nine weeks per year.
“For example, police officers specializing in the maintenance and restoration of order will thus be able to continue their training, requalify or perfect their work technique without the risk of disturbing citizens”, explains a spokesperson for the SQ in a brief comment.
If the police force turned to such an unusual place, it was because it had very specific needs.
The SQ was looking for land with an area “of at least 100,000 square meters” which includes buildings, paved streets, intersections, etc. Ideally, the location would be a replica of a city or town.
“This site must allow the use of chemical irritants within the framework of our training being away from the population, hospital building, school, daycare, etc.”, we explain in the appeal of offers.
According to Sandra Nadeau, this component will take place on the campground, currently deserted, at a good distance from the surrounding dwellings.
Important exercises
For former SQ police officer François Doré, such training is essential to police work.
He gives the example of the Summit of the Americas, in 2001 in Quebec, to explain the complexity of crowd control with irritant gases.
The police must take into account the direction of the wind, the size of the crowd, but also the groups targeted.
“If we are to throw a tear gas canister, we must know if there are people who are demonstrating peacefully in the back and who are not part of a group. [visé]“, he illustrates.
Camps for specialized police officers
- Contract of $2.78M with Valcartier Vacation Village
- One hundred police officers in training
- Around twenty trainers present
- Trainings of 4 to 5 days
- A duration of 6 to 9 weeks per year for 3 years
- Law Enforcement Simulation
- Use of chemical irritants