A daycare center riddled with bullets, a projectile that passes through the window of a residence: recent events involving firearms in Rivière-des-Prairies are worrying residents, admits Borough Mayor Caroline Bourgeois, who presented a new action plan to combat armed violence.
Posted at 6:23 p.m.
At the end of May, shots had smashed the window of the Bambino II Educational Daycare in broad daylight, in Rivière-des-Prairies.
At the beginning of the week in the same area, at least a dozen casings were found and a projectile crossed the room of a family residence.
“We have noticed an increase in acts of violence in the borough, which is creating a certain shock wave in the borough. Police presence is one thing, but we cannot have police officers on every street corner, nor forget about prevention,” explains Caroline Bourgeois, borough mayor.
She also invites citizens who want to get involved with young people to “raise their hands”.
“It will be part of our action plan to take the ideas and initiatives of residents so that they are part of the solution. »
The Urban Security Table of the Rivière-des-Prairies–Pointe-aux-Trembles borough was in charge of developing this new three-year action plan.
The partnership with the various primary and secondary schools to tackle the problems that affect the feeling of security of the young people, supports Mme Bourgeois. “We want to prioritize, support and develop projects that promote access to spaces for young people. »
A citizen forum on security will also be organized at the end of 2024. The project is divided into four axes: having a better understanding of urban security in order to draw up a detailed portrait of it, promoting young people in the district, promoting citizens’ sense of security and the partnership between the members of the Table de concertation.
Established last fall, the Urban Security Table brings together some thirty players from the police, political, community and institutional sectors.
For the past two years, conflicts involving impulsive criminals have multiplied. “We have a trivialization of firearms, people who taunt each other on social networks and the purpose is found in the streets”, summarizes Éric Breton, commander of the neighborhood station in Rivière-des-Prairies.